It's Destined
by Kizmet
Summary: A sequal to Time Changes, Just because Angel's soul is perment it doesn't mean that he and Buffy are through with problems.
1. Prelude

Prelude

Timeline Notes:Well, I wanted to include the story lines from the shows in this sequal instead of going completely AU so I had to work out a way to fit my story "Time Changes" into the events, heres the time line I worked out:

"Time Changes" starts shortly after "The Replacement" on Buffy

Xander returns from Chicago and the past after "No Place Like Home" on Buffy and "Dear Boy" on Angel.

Xander goes to LA after "Family"- Buffy and before "Guise will be Guise"-Angel

The Wesley story line from "Guise will be Guise" occurs in my universe, but not Angel's part, this is the case that Cordy tells Angel Wesley is taking care of while she's waiting for him to recover consciousness following his being buried by Kate (In my story).

The Scoobies go to LA because of the Angelus scare between "Family" and "Fool for Love"

Riley gets caught by Spike with the vampire whore shortly after "Shadow"-Buffy

Angel and friends go to Sunnydale to help with the Hellmouth problem after "Shadow" –Buffy, but still before "Darla" - Angel 

Time Changes" ends shortly after "Shadow" on "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" and before "Darla" on Angel

This section is an adaptation of "Listening to Fear" to help continuity.

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"Gunn, can I ask you a favor?" Angel said.

"Depends on what it is, Soulful," Gunn replied, he looked uncomfortable sitting in the Summers' front room.Joyce'srepeated requests about whether or not he was human, and why was he involved in "all that horrid demon stuff," certainly added to the discomfort level.

"I want you to keep a discrete eye on Darla," Angel said.

"The chick that tortured you?" Gunn asked in surprise."Why?"  
  
"Because she's got a soul now, she might try to deny it, but it's going to catch up with her soon.When it does it'll hit her hard," Angel replied."I have to believe that, nothing with a soul can share our past without hurting."

"Why do you care?" Gunn asked.

"I know what she's going to have to go through," Angel said seriously."And she's human now, she won't have a century to learn to deal or a vampire's recuperative power to keep her from doing irreparable harm to herself while she does.I can't let her go though that alone."

"Okay, I'll look her up," Gunn agreed."If it looks like things are getting bad I'll give you a call."

"Thanks," Angel said.

"I want that thing out of my house," Joyce demanded, gesturing to Dawn's closed door and by inference Angel, who was staying behind it.

"Mom, could we talk about this downstairs?" Buffy asked, knowing that with a vampire's enhanced senses Angel would overhear every word they said, despite the closed door.

"Don't tell me what to do in my own house!" Joyce snapped."You may be the Slayer, but I'm still your mother.I don't want him here, and I don't want you seeing him anymore."

""Mom please," Buffy begged taking Joyce's arm and attempting to lead her downstairs."Angel can hear you."

"I don't care!" Joyce said raising her voice."He should be ashamed of himself, coming back here, now, when you were just starting to go back to normal.Chasing off that nice, human boy you were dating."

The door to Dawn's room swung open, showing Angel, clinging to the doorframe for support, his face paler than normal and lined with pain."I'm sorry Mrs. Summers, I'll be out of your home as soon as possible.But I didn't make Riley leave, he had his own problems."

"Angel sit down," Buffy scolded, slipping under his arm to help support his weight,"Does the phrase 'broken leg' mean nothing to you?"

Joyce followed them as Buffy led Angel back to bed."Haven't you caused her enough misery?" she demanded of Angel.

"I'll have Wesley drive me back to LA tonight," Angel offered.

"Don't" Buffy protested."I want you here."

"Buffy!" Joyce exclaimed.

"Mom, we'll talk about this downstairs," Buffy said glaring at her mother, who reluctantly backed out of the room."The Doctor said that her tumor is pressing against her brain," Buffy explained, her voice pitched for Angel's ears alone."She says stuff she doesn't mean."

Angel looked distinctly unconvinced, "Even if that's true, my presence is only making things worse here.That's the last thing I want to do," he said.

"You promised you'd stay," Buffy pouted.

"Alright," Angel sighed."But I can stay with Spike."

"He wants you dead," Buffy said."It's too bad Xander's in LA with Cordy and Wes, you could have stayed with him.You could stay with Giles though.Okay it would be awkward, but he wouldn't try to kill you."

Angel bit back the first statement that came to mind, which had been, "I wouldn't be too sure about that."Instead he said, "I don't want to impose on Giles, and I can deal with Spike."

"You can't even walk," Buffy pointed out.

"Call Giles," Angel sighed in defeat.

"Stop looking at my boyfriend," Anya announced glowering at Cordelia.

"I'm not after Xander," Cordelia exclaimed, exasperated."I work with him, that means we talk, which leads to eye contact.It's something humans do.It doesn't mean I'm putting the moves on your boyfriend!"

"If you don't want Xander back why haven't you gotten another boyfriend?You've had around two year to do it," Anya said, still watching Cordelia suspiciously.

"Xander, if you don't remove her from the building for at least an hour I'm not responsible for what I do," Cordelia said in a tense, irritable voice.

"Uh… Honey, you want to go watch a movie?" Xander asked.

"We could make out there, it's a human tradition," Anya replied happily as Cordy rolled her eyes heavenward.

"Angel's going to stay with Giles," Buffy said as she entered the living room."Are you happy now Mom?"

"No, I'm really not," Joyce said."I realize I should have said this years ago, before everything got so out of hand, but you didn't give me that chance.You locked me out of every important aspect of your life ever since you became the Slayer.I also know you're too old for me to dictate who you can't date anymore, so I'm not going to try.I'm not giving you orders Buffy.I'm begging you.Please give yourself a few years to try dating boys in your own species.If Angel really loves you he'll wait until you've finished growing up, until you've had a chance to really figure out what it is you want in a relationship.It's not like he's getting any older."

"Mom, this is just your illness talking," Buffy said."After you're better we'll really talk about this okay?Then you'll see.Angel and I are going to take things slow this time.We're going to do it right, you'll see."

"Looks like Angel really called it with Darla," Gunn said."That girl is seriously loosing it.She completely trashed her place and did a pretty good number on herself too."

"Angel had you checked up on Darla, after what she did to him?" Cordy demanded."Is he mental again?"

"Empathy is a bitch," Gunn said with a shrug.

"He believes what Darla's going through is the same as what happened to him when he was first cursed," Wesley realized.

"Yep, wanted me to keep an eye on her, give him a ring if it started looking bad," Gunn said."I thing it's time to make that call."

"What is it with Angel and blonds?" Cordelia sighed.

"She wants me to just ask Angel to put everything on hold for a couple years while I date other guys," Buffy exclaimed."Can you believe it?"

"Actually it sounds like as eminently sensible plan," Giles said looking up from the inventory he was working on."I'm certain Angel would agree to it."

Buffy rolled her eyes, the look on her face screamed, "Adults!What do they know?"

"Come on Will, I know you're on my side," Buffy said.

"It's not really about taking sides Buffy," Willow temporized."I mean you know Angel's dated other girls, it's only fair to let you date other guys."

"It would kill him to stand back and watch me go with other people," Buffy protested."He'd say it was okay and I should experiment, but he'd hurt so much, I can't do it.I tried with Riley and Scott Hope too actually, but they both knew my heart wasn't in it.I thought it was, but now I have to admit they were right.How is it not a betrayal to everyone involved if I date some other guy while I still love Angel."

"I think Xander and I should go get Angel," Anya suggested. "The drive up would be quality alone time, healthy relationships need that you people have been cutting into ours."

"Dear lord girl, do you need yet another opportunity to have sex?"Wesley asked."It's a wonder either of you find time to eat."

"We shouldn't subject Angel to two hours trapped in a car with Anya," Cordy said."That should be classified cruel and unusual punishment.The poor guy just got back from Hell, he doesn't need to be exposed to this version of it."

"You're just jealous because I can keep a boyfriend and you can't," Anya snapped.

Gunn caught Cordelia around the waist as the brunette girl lunged at the former demon.

"Did you see that?" Anya demanded turning to Xander."She tried to attack me!"

"Anya please, I love you, I'm not going to leave you, so could you please tone down on the insecurities?"Xander begged.

"I'm not insecure!" Anya insisted, storming up the stairs."She's after you!"

"Cordy, could you go get Angel?"Xander asked."I'll deal with Anya."

"I'll go with you Cordelia," Wesley volunteered.

"Me too," Gunn said."Not like I want to stick around here and watch the melodrama."

Buffy's mouth dropped open in pained expression as she watched the black convertible pull up in front of her house.Angel, still limping heavily, got out then paused briefly to talk with his three friends before slowly walking to the front door.

"You're leaving aren't you?" Buffy demanded as soon as she opened the door.After everything you said, you're leaving me again."

"I have to deal with something," Angel said."LA isn't the end of the Earth, I'll be back in just a few hours if something happens."  
  


"You're still healing, how much help can you really be right now?" Buffy asked."Why can't you stay here?"

"They don't need me to fight, it's a different sort of problem," Angel said.

"And you're going, no matter what I say.You haven't changed at all Angel.You're still making decisions for both of us without even bothering to talk to me."

"Buffy," Angel said, exasperated."I have a purpose in LA, I can't just forget that.There's someone there who I'm in a unique position to help, I can't turn my back on her."

"Who?" Buffy demanded."It's Faith isn't it?She's done something again.What did she do?Break out of jail and now you're going to go "comfort" her!Again!  
  


"It's Darla," Angel admitted."Having a soul again is starting to get to her.She needs someone who's been there."

"Darla," Buffy said, her voice betraying utter shock."You're leaving me for Darla,"

"I'm not leaving you," Angel insisted he felt like he was up to his neck in quicksand.

"Well fine, go help your ex-lover.Everyone here things I should give dating humans another try, maybe I will," Buffy shouted."You go I'll be fine without you!"

"Buffy?" Angel asked in confusion as the door slammed in his face.

"Maybe the Xander and Anya show will actually be a break for you," Cordy said as Angel got into the car."At least the psycho girlfriend won't be yours."

"Anya and I are going back to Sunnydale," Xander said when Angel and the others arrived in LA.He looked exhausted and frantic."Anya has seen so many relationships go bad she tends to over-react.Being around Cordy is just too stressful for her."

I understand you've got to do what you think is best," Angel said trying to cover the relief he felt.Angel knew dealing with Darla would be enough for him to cope with, without refereeing catfights between Anya and Cordy."Take care of Buffy for me," Angel requested."She won't take my calls and I worry about her."

"I always watch out for the Buffster," Xander said."You didn't have to ask."

"Buffy, listen to me, he let Dru and Darla kill a bunch of people, and he just fired us!"Cordy exclaimed."You have to talk to him.He's going off the deep-end here!"

"What am I supposed to say?" Buffy asked uncertainly.

"Well for starters, tell him to get his head out of his ass and listen to his friends!" Cordy suggested."I'm going to transfer you to the phone in Angel's office.This might take a few minutes, whatever happens stay on the line."

Cordy punched a few buttons on the phone then walked into Angel's office, he was still sitting at his desk, looking distinctly unremorseful."Buffy's on the phone," Cordy informed him.

Angel didn't respond.

"I said BUFFY is waiting to talk with you," Cordy repeated tartly.

"I don't want to talk with her," Angel said icily."And since I fired you, why are you taking my calls?"

Cordy walked into the office and picked up the phone."I'm putting you on speaker phone," she said with a smug look at Angel.

"Angel?" Buffy said, her voice wavering uncertainly.

Expressionlessly Angel picked up the phone and threw it against the wall.When it hit it shattered."I said I didn't want to talk to her."

In Sunnydale Buffy sat on her bed holding a dead phone, tears welling up in her eyes.

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More time line notes:"Into the Woods"- Buffy doesn't happen, Riley's already gone.Buffy's emotional distress in "Triangle" is a result of her current problems with Angel, not Riley.

"Shroud of Rahman"- Angel doesn't happen, Kate still thinks Angel is where she had him buried.Angel's downward spiral in "Trial", "Reunion" and "Redefinition" is unchanged except the getting arrested by Kate part.


	2. Fated Meeting

Fated Meeting

"Come on Mom, it's a birthday party, everybody who's anybody is going to be there!You can't make me stay home!" Dawn protested.

"The party starts barely a half-hour before sunset," Joyce said implacably, "You know I'm not fit to drive yet, and you aren't spending the night.Don't even think about asking again.How do you expect to get home?"

"Mom!"Dawn whined.

"Don't take that tone with me, you know what's out there."

"I could ask Xander to give me a ride," Dawn suggested."Or Mr. Giles."

"Dawn, Mr. Giles and Xander have lives of their own, we impose upon them too much as it is," Joyce said firmly.

Buffy watched an utterly crushed expression over took Dawn's features and sighed."I could swing by after patrol and walk her home."

"You're sure that's safe?" Joyce asked.

Buffy noted Dawn's suddenly hopeful expression."She'll be with me, what could go wrong?But Dawn, you have to promise you'll stay inside the house till I get there."

"Sure Buffy, you're the greatest," Dawn chirped happily, she would have agree to much more worse terms as long as it meant going to what would probably be the social event of the year.Becky, the birthday girl, had an undeniably cool house and notoriously lax parental types.Plus she was inviting boys.At fourteen coed parties weren't unheard of, but they certainly weren't the rule either.Dawn knew her mother wouldn't be cool if she wanted to have a bunch of guys at an over night party.Witness her absolute refusal to even consider letting Dawn stay till it was safe to walk home.

"Be ready to go at about 12:30," Buffy instructed.

"One is a nice round number," Dawn suggested."Very easy to remember."

"So is twelve," Buffy said."Giles wants me to do an early morning training thingy tomorrow, so don't press your luck."

"12:30 sounds great.If it's okay with you mom?"Dawn said with a sacrine-sweet smile.

"You two seem to have everything worked out," Joyce sighed.

"Thanks mom," Dawn said, giving her mother a quick kiss on the cheek.

Buffy just shrugged and walked out of the kitchen.Lately she just felt so uncomfortable around her mother.

She was really glad her mother was okay and everything.It was a real weight off her mind, but all that free mind space was giving Buffy too much room to think.Especially about how a number of Joyce's pre-surgery tirades against Angel echoed Angel's reasons for breaking up with her before the prom.It wasn't a comfortable thought to have.

The other choice, of course, was to think about Angel, and how he wasn't listening to anybody these days.Cordy sworn that they needed Buffy to come to LA and knock some sense back into him, but she couldn't.It had been hard enough to deal with a version of Angel that didn't love her because he didn't remember her.Seeing Angel now, in full possession of his memories and soul and still not loving her… Buffy thought that might literally kill her.So she stayed in Sunnydale, a prisoner of her own fears, despite Cordy's insistence that Angel needed her in LA.

"The party was totally kick ass," Dawn thought happily, surprised she could here the thought over the music blaring over Becky's parents' huge stereo system.This was how she pictured the Bronze.

Then Dawn spotted HIM, and the whole world just stopped.He was tall, with bottomless dark brown eyes and curling, longish brunette hair.Maybe he was a bit gangly, if you wanted to find fault, which Dawn didn't, but he moved with the easy grace of an athlete.When he noticed Dawn staring at him, he offered her an endearing lop-sided smile and crossed the crowded room to her side.

"Hi," he said.

Dawn blushed and ducked her head, embarrassed to have been caught all but drooling over a good-looking boy whose name she didn't even know."Hey," she replied.

The boy escorted her into the kitchen where the noise level was only a dull roar instead of rock concert levels. 

"I'm Cole," he said."I'm new in town, so you probably don't know me, I don't know anyone out there.I don't even know how I got invited… maybe it was a mistake.Still I thought it would be a good way to meet people, but how can you get to know anyone with all those people and all that noise?"

"I'm Dawn," Dawn replied when Cole wound down."My mom only moved here…gee it was four and a half years ago, it feels like yesterday.Anyway I totally sympathize with your newness."

Dawn felt her heart flutter as her comments won her another of Cole's charming half-smiles.He was almost as cute as Xander and her age, this was too great.

"So… um… are you liking the party?" Cole asked.

"Completely.I wish I could stay all night, I'll bet it gets really wild, but my mom's being a real Nazi, she only let me come because my older sister Buffy offered to walk me home," Dawn said.

"Don't feel left out," Cole said."I have to leave early too.In fact I had to sneak out to get here and I'm going to be deeply regretful if I'm not in bed before my parents go to get me up in the morning."

Uncomfortable Dawn glanced at the floor as she advised, "You should probably wait till after sunrise.Bad things happen to people after dark here, but being new you wouldn't know that yet.That's why my sister's coming to get me."

"I can't stay that long," Cole said."My mother's a real crack of dawn type, she'd catch me."

"Well, you could walk with Buffy and I," Dawn offered.

"The two of you are walking?" Cole asked."Maybe I should go to protect you."

"Oh don't worry, Buffy can handle anything," Dawn paused."Cause she's really in to martial arts and junk," she added awkwardly.

"I'm sure she's quite formidable," Cole said apolitically."I would be honored to except her protection.

Dawn studied Cole carefully, looking for signs that he was patronizing her, and found none.In fact his last statement seemed more sincere than the one that preceded it.Dawn frowned at that oddity.

"So…" Cole began nervously, then trailed off apparently at a loss for a topic."Buffy, that's an unusual name, isn't it?"He finally asked.

Dawn snorted, "Personally, I think Mom should have let the pain-killers wear off before she came up with a name, still Buffy was her first shot at the whole naming children thing.You can't expect someone to get a thing right the first time they try something new.Witness how much better her second attempt went."

Cole smiled."Dawn is a lovely name, it has hope in it," he said.

Another awkward silence descended."So, do you want to dance?" Dawn asked.

A relieved look swept over Cole's features."Gladly, my lady," he said taking her hand and grandly pressing a kiss to the back of it, making Dawn blush and giggle before escorting them back to the living room.

Cole held her in an elegant ballroom style, but the crush of the other dancers soon gave Dawn an excuse to shift his frame to something less formal and more cuddly.Swaying gently in Cole's arms Dawn sighed happily, it wasn't everyday that a cute guy noticed her, not like they did Buffy.

Of course Buffy did always seem to get more than her fair share of weirdoes.A guy with a death wish, a demon worshiping frat guy (Dawn thought that the whole frat guy thing should have warned her sister off, but Buffy could be so dense some times.Come on, a senior in college hitting on a junior in High School who he'd never met before?There was no way his intentions were of the good.), vampire wanna be, plus several total losers and Spike!Even Angel and Riley had the vampire thing and the Initiative thing respectively.Plus if Spike could be believed Riley had gone completely mental in the last couple months, letting vamps snack on him and stuff."Xander was the only really normal guy Buffy had ever attracted," Dawn concluded. 

But Buffy wasn't interested.If Xander ever showed any interest in dumping Anya for her, Dawn would have taken him up in a heartbeat.

"Well maybe not right now," Dawn added mentally, with a superstitious glance at Cole.

"Dancing was a marvelous innovation," Dawn thought to herself, resting her cheek on Cole's shoulder.She could do this all night long.

"I think your sister's here," Cole said looking over the top of Dawn's head.Reluctantly Dawn glanced around the room to see Buffy glaring angrily at her.

"Her boyfriend goes to LA and suddenly she turns into Miss Cranky-Pants if anyone else is having a good time," Dawn huffed.

"LA?" Cole echoed, sounding upset.

"Uh-huh," Dawn replied absently starting toward Buffy."You're early!" she exclaimed.

"It's 12:40," Buffy replied."According to Webster that makes me late, which is the opposite of early.Why aren't you ready?"

"Just let me grab my jacket, it'll only take a second.Do you need to get anything Cole?" Dawn asked."Oh Buffy this is Cole.Cole, my sister Buffy.He has to leave early too, so I thought he could walk with us."

Buffy glanced quickly at Cole then returned to glaring at Dawn for a moment before turning her attention back to Cole for a longer, and slightly confused look at the dark haired boy."Do you have any older brothers?" She asked."You look familiar."

"No, I just moved to Sunnydale," Cole said with a nervous laugh."You must be mistaking me for some other younger sibling."

Buffy frowned at the boy.


	3. Youthful Dreams

Youthful Dreams

** **

A woman in an old fashion dress with dark blond hair secured in a loose bun walked into the Hyperion's lobby.She glanced around the disserted room with a sad sigh then opened the door to the basement and slowly descended.

Angel stood with his back to the door throwing knives at a dartboard."We're closed," he said without turning.

"I need your help," the woman said.

"I'm not in the business of helping people anymore," Angel replied, hitting the bulls-eye with another knife."My former colleges are still doing that, I could give you their number."

"Don't talk that tone with me Liam O'Neill" the knife thudded into the wall a foot from the dartboard.

Angel turned toward the stairwell.He stared at the woman."Anna?" He asked.

"Aye Liam, it's been a long time."

Liam sighed it seemed his Father was finished and truly gone to church now.Slowly the young man climbed to his feet and dusted himself off.He rubbed his temples gingerly, a parental lecture and beating on top of a hangover, this was going to be quiet the headache.

Liam glanced around the courtyard."Anna?" he called softly, wondering if it was worth pursuing his seduction of the servant girl.

Apparently she'd left during his "conversation" with his father.Liam groaned and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes trying to force the wave of pain back."Anna could wait," he decided, it was time for bed.

A soft but persistent knocking at his door drug Liam from the comfortable oblivion of sleep.

"Go away, I'm trying to die in peace here," He yelled at the knocker.Light footfalls retreated from the door and Liam groaned.Kathy, the last person he should ever joke about dying with.Especially now, only a handful of months after the death of their three year-old brother Patrick.

Kathy didn't know better than to become attached yet.She hadn't learned that most younger siblings died.That it was better not to let yourself love them until they were older.

He'd tried to protect her, tried to distract her from the endless fascination of a new baby, but he'd become lax once Patrick's first birthday had come and gone.Damn it all to Hell!Patrick should have lived!

The other three had all died in their first few months.Patrick should have been the one, his fathers long hoped for son, the one that would fulfill all those dreams Liam could never quite live up to.Liam had been so glad that there was another boy-child in the family so he could go on failing and not hurt anyone.He couldn't please his father he just wasn't good enough, but maybe Patrick would have been.

With a sigh Liam shut off that line of thought.Patrick was just another name and set of dates carved into a piece of rock, like Sean, Mary and Margaret.Kathleen and himself were the only one to live long enough to become people.If he let himself grieve those other brothers and sisters who might have been he'd go as insane as Rachel had.

Quiet, pious, eternally grieving Rachel.Liam hadn't heard her speak once since Patrick's death.Her children were her failures, four dead plus the miscarriage, only sweet Kathleen successfully brought into the world and Kathleen was yet another failure in that she wasn't a boy.

Liam, wondered who his father considered the greatest failure; Rachel who could only give his father a girl, or Liam's own mother Anabella, who's son was such a hopeless disappointment and who had died before making a second attempt to get things right.

Of course, he himself was his father's greatest disappointment and shame.No matter how he tried he wasn't the son his father wanted and after the scandal ten years ago he'd simply given up even trying to be anything but the whoring, drunken, lay-about his father and the whole village saw him as.

If he could have gone back maybe he wouldn't have contradicted Corinne's story, it wouldn't have been so bad being a father even if he had never been interested in her.Better than having the reputation and scorn to live down to that her lies and death had saddled him with.

The door to his room creaked open and the bed shifted as another person climbed onto it.A wet rag settled over his aching eyes and a small voice asked."You're not really dying are you Li?"

"O' course not sweet," Liam replied."Just stayed out a bit late last night and Da tied into me this morning."

Kathy sighed in relief then curled up against her older brother.Liam forced his brain to wakefulness as she began to shake with repressed sobs.

"Kathleen?" He asked truly looking at her for the first time.She was a mess; the white powder dusting her dark hair, cloths and face looked like flour.Tear tracks cut paths through the flour on her face and Liam could detect the first traces of a bruise on her jaw.

Liam's muscles tightened in anger, directed both at himself and at his father.He didn't really mind when his father hit him anymore, he'd long since grown past the point where it really hurt and he usually deserved it.Kathleen didn't deserve it, and she was so much smaller.Liam was generally able to protect her, but he'd been too hung over that morning to do so and now she was hurt and crying.The one person he swore he'd never let down, and get he had.He could never do anything right, not even when he actually wanted to succeed.

"I tried to make breakfast for Mum.I thought maybe it would make her feel better, but everything went wrong and Da's really angry," Kathleen explained.

"And now you've got a "make this right or else" ultimatum, with a "you'd better not let Anna help, for it's not her duty to be cleaning up after your foolishness" stuck on the end correct?"Liam asked."Where is he now?"

"He left for the docks, a new shipment's arrived.Mum's taken to her rooms again," Kathleen reported.

"In that case give me ten minutes to get fresh cloths, then we'll see to your bit of a mess, and maybe get a breakfast together for your mum after all," Liam suggested.If he were caught his father would be furious, helping Kathy in the cleaning and cooking were probably the only two constructive things he could do that would rank below his drawing in his father's eyes, but to win a smile from Kathleen he'd gladly endure his father's scorn.

And there it was, a happy smile making it's way on to Kathleen's face, just the reward he'd been seeking.

In just under the promised ten minutes Liam was surveying the disaster that had been the kitchen."Good lord Kathleen, how'd ye manage this?" he asked.

"The flour was too heavy and it's stupid to store it up so high," Kathleen explained.The bag burst when it hit the floor.I tried to mop it up but it only made everything worse."

"That I can see.How'd the syrup come to be involved?" Liam asked.

"The handle of the mop," Kathleen said blushing."I forgot it was behind me."

"And Father bringing home company, more likely than not if a new shipment in," Liam laughed.

"It's not funny!" Kathy protested.

"No, it's really not," Liam admitted."Still, I would have enjoyed watching his face go purple."

A small choked giggled escaped Kathy."He does turn purple, doesn't he?"

Cheerfully Liam and Kathy set to removing the mess.

"It would help if ye added a bit of soap to your water," Anna suggested, standing in the doorway, holding a basket of eggs.

"You're a genius, my beauty," Liam laughed, standing up in the spreading mess that his and Kathy's cleaning efforts had produced.

"Less water would have also been good," Anna continued grinning."That is if your intentions were cleanliness and not a recreation of the flood."

"Da'll be mad if you help," Kathy said nervously."He specifically said you couldn't."

"And I won't dearest, I'll just advise.It's quite the treat for me seeing Master Liam get his hands dirty, and me thinking that the lad regards all forms of honest work as a toxin," Anna reassured Kathy.

"This is not work," Liam announced, making a grand sweeping gesture to the kitchen."It's a favor to my favorite girl, an altogether different matter."

Anna laughed."Ah Liam, it's times line this that make me think I could fall in love with you.You've a good heart under all your posturing."

"How?" Angel asked.

"You've heard stories of mortals being taken Underhill by the fair folk for a night's revelry and returning to find their friends and family aged and gray?"Anna asked.Angel nodded."I've lived Underhill for over fourteen years.There's not a thing left of the world that I knew, except for you."

"I have a war to fight," Angel said pulling his knives from the dartboard and turning his attention back to target practice."I don't have time to help you acclimate to the twenty-first century and your Liam has been dead for two hundred and forty-seven years.I only look like him."

"I've seen the stupidity you revel in with this war of yours Liam," Anna snapped."And believe me you can afford to put it on hold.I thought you were finally living up to the potential you've always had, but no you had to find another way to sabotage yourself.If you're wise Liam you'll go back to your friends, apologize on bended knee and let them help you.But regardless of what you choose to do with your life you will help me find our son."

This time the hilt of the knife thunked against the wall almost a yard away from the dartboard then clattered to the floor.

Despite coming from ten miles east of Galway before accepting a position in the O'Neill household Anna had heard all the stories about Liam O'Neill.He was handsome, charming and every girl who mentioned him had a list of his faults longer than her arm.

As far as Anna had been able to tell, all the girls who mentioned him fell into one of two equally populous camps; His former lovers, who despised him, but would almost certainly take him back if he asked, and those who hoped to be his next conquest, even though they found his behavior absolutely scandalous.

Anna was determined that she should remain the third type of girl, the ones that just didn't mention Liam O'Neill despite the fact she'd be sharing a residence with him.

There were many things she'd expected; His flirtatious and persistent pursuit of her, his very notable charm and undeniable good looks.She'd expected those and been prepared to deal with them without destroying her ability to do her job.A job which she truly needed.

Anna hadn't been ready to find a real person behind all the stories.She hadn't been prepared for Liam's honest love for his younger sister or to know that his brawling was, in part, a cover for the bruises his father left on him.She hadn't expected the odd flashes of hurt anger in his eyes when Corinne was mentioned or her growing suspicion that it had been Corinne and not Liam who had lied about her baby's parentage and maybe that was why Corinne had killed herself.

That Liam could occasionally drop his act and show that underneath all the garbage there was a fairly likable young man was always a surprise, a dangerous one.Anna had no interest in Galway's most notorious rakehell, regardless of how attractive the packaging, but Li was another thing altogether.Anna had a potentially disastrousfascination with finding out what Li could become if he only gave himself a chance.

This morning however, only the rake was in evidence."Anna, come closer," he called.

Anna knew he hadn't been home last night and could guess at the state he was in."Master Liam, your father…" she protested, attempting to tactfully put off his advances.

"Will be off to church by now, repenting of his sin.And well he should.Closer, Anna." Liam could be so damnably persistent when he was drunk.

"Why do you keep to the shadows sir?Are you not well?" Anna asked lightly.

"The light, it bothers my eyes just now," Liam explained.Anna felt a touch of dread as she saw Mr. O'Neill appeared behind his son.She didn't want to be having this conversation with Liam, but of all the ways to get out of it. Intervention by his father wasn't one she'd wish for.

"And I know the reason why!"The older man exclaimed, knocking Liam to the ground."Up again all night is it?Drinking and whoring.I smell the stink of it on you."

Quietly Anna departed, the last thing she wanted to do was witness Liam's calling down, it could only add to his humiliation and her presence certainly wouldn't temper his father's actions.

"And a good morning to you Father," Anna heard Liam say as she hurried away, just as if being struck was a perfectly normal form of greeting.Anna felt her eyes burn, from what she'd seen in the last few years it was a normal greeting, at least in Liam's experience.

She'd come expecting to despise Liam O'Neill but in truth it was his father's behavior that truly disturbed her.

Anna chose duties that kept her in the barns and far from the house for the rest of the morning, giving everything time to die down. 

When she was finally forced back to the house she was stunned to find Liam and Kathleen both kneeling on the kitchen floor in a pool of flour paste, syrup and water.The siblings were both smiling and laughing, covered in a fair share of the mess they were attempting to clean up.

Anna fought back giggles at the site of Galway's Romeo, sitting on the floor his hair and cloths covered in flour."A bit of soap would help," She advised.

"You're a genius, my beauty," Liam replied gallantly.

And that was the start of it, Anna remembered, the three of them working together in the kitchen that morning, laughing and joking.All of her preconception put aside along with Liam's pretenses.

Afterwards Kathy decided she wanted Anna to teach her to cook and somehow Li was always on hand for the lessons.

Occasionally they flirted, but mostly they just talked.And even the flirting was different, Liam would never blatantly proposition a girl with his darling little sister watching.Although Anna suspected Kathy wasn't quite as naive as Liam might like to believe.She seemed to truly know her brother, both the good and the bad and loved him despite his faults.

Anna was rapidly finding that she could do the same.She couldn't pretend he didn't end up drunk more nights than not, or that finding a woman between the ages of eighteen and thirty who he hadn't propositioned was unlikely and all too many of those had said yes.Other than Kathy, Anna couldn't think of a single person who wouldn't laugh in her face if she told them she was slowly but surly falling for Liam O'Neill.

Worse yet her own common sense told her that the only person who could truly hold any part of Liam's heart was his younger sister.Anna found herself cursing Corinne and her machinations at odd moments, blaming the other girl for Liam's lack of trust.

Despite common sense, public opinion and all of Liam's faults, Anna found herself doing the one thing she swore she would never do; She was falling in love with Liam O'Neill.

Anna smiled as she watched Liam walking toward the paddock with a saddle balanced easily on his shoulder.

For someone who often claimed to be up to anything… excepting an honest day's work, he was quiet dedicated to his horses.Liam claimed breaking horse to ride wasn't work, it was a paying hobby, but it certainly looked like honest work to Anna.

The son of a merchant of Irish decent couldn't afford the type of horse Liam favored, but the Nobility and the English soldiers needed their animals trained and no one was better with horses than Liam O'Neill.

Anna hurried into the house to gather her mending, she could move that down to the barn and have an excuse to watch Liam work, these were the moments when she could pretend that he really was the man of her dreams.

Dressed in a plain dust colored shirt and coarse breaches, his dark hair pulled back with a simple leather tie.Liam didn't look like member of the mercantile class.He looked like someone a tenant farmer's daughter could aspire to marry.

Liam dropped the saddle beside the training paddock and headed for the barn, waving cheerfully to Anna as he did.He returned leading Lord Richard's black yearling.The horse trotted eagerly after Liam, bumping his back with it's nose in an urgent demand for one of the sugar cues Liam always carried when he was working with the horses.Liam had been working with the yearling for several weeks already and it was well acquainted with his rewards system.

Anna settled in a sunlit patch of grass with her sewing as Liam tied the horse to the paddock fence.

"Yer a beauty ain't ya, Dixon," Liam cooed, rubbing the horse's arched nose.The horse nickered softly.Liam began brushing Dixon's shiny coat with a heavy wire brush.The horse snorted with pleasure and Liam smiled as he continued talking softly to the horse.It was good that Dixon associated his touch with good feelings, he'd accept the saddle easier, if the horse already trusted Liam's intentions.

After about fifteen minutes Liam set aside the brush and picked up the saddle and blanket.He placed them over Dixon's withers and quickly secured them.Dixon's eyes rolled fearfully, the whites showing."Ack, easy Dixon, easy.I've never hurt ye and I'm not about to start now," Liam promised, patting the horse soothingly.

Dixon pranced nervously, suddenly very unhappy about how closely he was tied to the fence.Liam hadn't left him anywhere to run to."Easy now, easy," Liam kept repeating, trying to get through to the frightened animal.

Anna smiled at them proudly, there was so much Liam was good at, it was a shame his father couldn't see it and that the older man's view had so thoroughly warped Liam's self image.The elder O'Neill desperately wanted his son to join him in the family business, but Liam would never be a merchant.

Money held no interest for him, except in the spending of it and Liam spared no manners on people he didn't like.It was a testament to his skill with horses that he was still training mounts for the garrison since he'd told the commanding officer to his face what he thought of English soldiers in general and the officer in particular.He'd gone to the stocks for a day for that particular transgression but the formal report on the incident simply said "drunk and disorderly" and Liam kept his contract with the garrison.

Once Dixon was standing calmly with the saddle still on his back, Liam untied him, tightened the straps one last time and mounted.

For a moment Dixon stood, frozen in shock, then decided he was most assuredly opposed to this new development and spun sharply, trying to dislodge his rider.Liam gripped the edge of the saddle with one hand and pulled back sharply on the reins.Dixon lashed out with his back hooves then tucked his head down and bucked.Liam pulled up on the reins trying to force Dixon's head back up, but the horse kicked out his back legs again and his rider tumbled over his head to the ground.

Liam landed flat on his back with a thud that drove all the air from his lungs, but kept hold of the reins.

Now that he was free of the frightening weight on his back, Dixon calmed and came over to nudge the figure on the ground with a curious nose.Happily the horse nuzzled the pocket where he knew Liam kept his sugar cubes.Irritably Liam shoved him away."You're in no way deserving of a reward for that ya great beast," he said.

Liam climbed to his feet, rubbing at new bruises on his shoulder, then resolutely remounted.

By the time Dixon was moving calmly about the paddock, too exhausted to protest against being ridden any longer, the pile of clothing to be mended at Anna's side was gone. Looking every bit as tired as the horse Liam dismounted pulling his tack off of Dixon and rubbed the horse down then returned him to the barns.

Liam came back and flopped on the ground beside Anna.He smelled of leather and dirt and sweat, all traces of the pub or the whorehouse wiped away by the day's work.

"Dixon's coming along very nicely," Anna commented.

"That he is. He'll be a fine mount."Liam replied."Only wish I could keep him."

"There'll be other's his equal or better," Anna assured him.

"Aye, and I'll have to give them back as well," Liam said.

Anna set aside her sewing and gently smoothed a loose tendril of hair back from Liam's forehead."Maybe someday…" She began, but Liam shook his head, they both knew the dangers of hoping for what couldn't be.Anna smiled sadly and continued stroking his hair in silence.

Gradually the warm summer sun sent Liam to sleep.Anna, well on her own way to the arms of Morpheus, lay down beside him.Kathy and her parents were visiting Rachel's family on the other side of the bay, they weren't expected back for another night.She and Liam were behind the barn, well back from the road and the eyes of any curious visitors.No one would be the wiser if she indulged in a little harmless fantasizing.

Anna rested her head on Liam's shoulder and sighed happily when his arm wrapped loosely around her waist.

Anna woke to find Liam watching her intently, a soft smile curving his lips."You're most beautiful Anna, both inside and out, very few are both, but you most definitely are," he said, leaning over to kiss her.

A burst of warmth flooded Anna's body as Liam's lips brushed hers.Still more than half lost in pleasant dreams she returned the kiss.

Liam took her into his arms, expertly untying her apron and undoing the long line of buttons running down the center of Anna's back as they kissed.Anna clung to his shoulders, her eyes blissfully shut until she felt his clever fingers loosing her corset.

Her eyes popped open in surprise and alarm as she drew back."We can't.I'll loose my position," Anna protested.

"How will my father be finding out?" Liam asked, reaching up to loosen her hair."I'll not be telling him."

"It's not right," Anna argued.

"I love you Anna, how can it be wrong?" Liam asked, kissing her again.Floating on a cloud of happiness Anna returned the kiss.Liam's hands cupped her face gently."I've never felt this way about any girl before."

"You've never been refused for so long either I'd wager," Anna said, common sense making another bid for supremacy.

"Most don't want to know any more of me than my reputation," Liam said."If they knew me as you do, they would want nothing to do with me."

"No," Anna protested."You're a wonderful person Liam, I wish you'd let people see that.You're so much more than your father sees.The more I come to know you the more I love you."

"You're the only one who believes in me," Liam said, sucking at the base of her neck.Anna moaned softly.When Liam resumed unlacing her corset she didn't protest.

Two weeks later Anna stood in the shadows as Liam's father yelled at him again, about yet another of Liam's all night long escapades.Angry tears burned in Anna's eyes as she waited for her turn.

Liam's father stormed into the house, leaving his son lying in the courtyard by the well.Gingerly Liam felt at the side of his head where it had struck the well when he had fallen.His fingers came away bloody.Vacantly fascinated he stared at the bright red fluid coating his hand.

Anna drew up a bucket of water and dipped a rag from her pocket in the cold water then knelt beside Liam and pressed the rag to his cut.

"I thank ye kindly my lovely Anna," Liam said.

"Don't," Anna objected."I'm angry at ya Li, I didna think you'd do this to me.I thought I meant something to you.I thought I could trust you."

"I didn't mean any harm," Liam said."You didn't want us to become known.My friends would of thought it odd if I'd called it a night early.They would of wanted to know who it is that's calling me away."

"Your friends are a bunch of drunken imbeciles," Anna said angrily."It's a wonder that they can find the pub each night without assistance.Ya didn't have to go sleeping with some whore to throw them off the track."

"Why are you so mad Anna?I've not changed," Liam objected.

"No you haven't," Anna said."I believe you were capable of loyalty, I see now that I was wrong.I never meant anything to you did I Liam?Just another colleen foolish enough to fall for your lies.You've stopped bleeding Li, the cut wasn't bad, it's just that head wounds bleed liberally."

Anna dropped the bloodstained rag in Liam's lap and walked away.He watched her go in bewilderment.

"Don't ya like Liam any more?"Kathy asked."You never talk to him anymore."

"I thought he liked me more than he did," Anna replied."And it hurts to learn the truth."

"He didn't mean to hurt you," Kathy said."Li never means to hurt anyone."

"He does hurt them though," Anna said."He doesn't think half as much as he ought to and in the end it's never his heart lying on the ground in pieces is it?"

"You do still like him," Kathy concluded.

"Yes, I love him, but I can't trust him and love's no good without trust," Anna said tiredly.

"You were pregnant when youleft," Angel said, setting aside his remaining throwing knives."You should have told me."

"I didn't realize it myself until I'd reached the colonies," Anna said."Maybe I'd have know it sooner, but I was wretchedly sea sick forthe whole voyage.I thought about turning around and going home, but I'd indentured myself to get there and what would the point have been anyway?"

"I didn't give in to my father," Angel said.

"A huge surprise that is," Anna replied."Ya never did as he wanted." 

"I always did what he wanted," Angel corrected.

"Naw, Liam.You did as he expected.That's not the same," Anna said."He was a fool and so were you.He told you everything you did wrong and never expected any better from you, but you let his expectations define you.You never once tried to prove that you were more than what he thought of you.Maybe you couldn't have won his approval, I didna think he knew how to give it, but you would have know what you'd done."

"Every time the two of you got into serious fight you did the same thing; you went out and tried to find a new dept to sink to.Well that time you exceeded all expectations didn't you?You became a demon."

"I've arranged for you to marry John MacCullin's elder daughter."

Liam's mouth dropped open as he stared at his father."I don't even know her," he protested.

"And do you think she'd have you if the reverse weren't true?"the older man asked.

"I won't do it," Liam said, slamming the door behind him as he walked out.He didn't even notice Anna standing in the hallway, her hand pressed to her mouth, her eyes filled with shock and pain.

Liam didn't bother to saddle Dixon, he simply lead the horse from the barn and threw himself on top.He had Dixon at a gallop before they cleared the yard.

Anna watched him disappear into the darkness, feeling like she'd been punched in the stomach.Slowly she walked back to her room, holding back her tears till she had privacy.Then she cried the whole night long.

The next morning, red-eyed, exhausted, and relieved, having realized Liam wouldn't marry at his father's bidding, Anna dressed and waited for his return.She worked distractedly as morning turned to afternoon with no word of Liam.By evening both Anna and Kathy were worried.

It was all too easy to picture Liam lying dead in an ally or in a ditch.They both knew the mood he'd been in when he'd left; angry, reckless and somehow it was always Liam that ended up bleeding when he was in that mood.Riding bareback on a half-broke horse as fast as he could persuade the animal to go, ignoring roads and all common sense.If he made it into town without incident he'd get drunk and find a fight.Liam would only come home when the pain in his body out weighed the pain in his soul.

"Some day he wouldn't come home at all.Someday the death he courted would take him," Anna thought."Maybe today."

As the second day dawned, Kathy saddled the old family horse and headed town ward. She couldn't stand not knowing any longer.

Anna couldn't stand knowing, if not this time then the next or the one after.Someday Liam would find death as he ran from his demons.Anna didn't want to know, she wanted to go away, where she didn't have to watch him seek self-destruction, day after day.She wanted to be able to pretend he'd out grown his pain and found a life that didn't torture him.

Anna packed and gave notice to the elder O'Neill and had left before Kathy returned.

"Where's Anna?" Liam asked.

"She left, went to the colonies," his father replied.

"Why?" Liam asked.

"Most likely because she couldn't stand living under the same roof as yourself."

"It's not true," Liam snapped."Anna loved me."

"Who could possibly love you?" the older man asked."You've not one redeeming characteristic."

"I'm not the failure you wish me to be," Liam said."I'll go find Anna and I'll marry her, we'll be happy.You can't stop me.You don't control me any more."

Angrily Liam stalked upstairs and began packing his belongings, his father followed him.

"Liam, stop this foolishness," his father barked."You've never even been to Dublin and now you're off to the colonies?You've no concept of the distance or the dangers.You know nothing of caring for yourself."

"We'll see," Liam replied."If I get myself killed, then you'll be proved right.Either way you'll never have to worry about me humiliating you again.I'm surprised you aren't celebrating!"

""You're my son, you'll do as I say, and I forbid you to leave this house."

"Try and stop me," Liam spat, rushing down the stairs."I'm not a child anymore, you don't frighten me now."

"Liam, you'll do as I say!" his father yelled after him.

"The ship wouldn't leave till the morning tide," Liam thought.That left plenty of time for a last night of revelry before he left Galway forever.

"What's done is done Liam," Anna said."It can't be changed and it doesn't matter now.What matters is our son is missing.He'd lived Underhill his whole life and he's only a boy.He won't be able to manage.The world's changed so much that I'm not any better off.I need you to find him."

"Of course I'll help," Angel said."I'm glad you came to me."


	4. Misleading Prophecies

Misleading Prophecies

** **

"He just seemed off, Wills.It wouldn't be any huge deal for you to check up on him right?" Buffy asked.

"Buffy, isn't this a bit beyond the Protective-older-sister thing?" Willow asked.

"You checked into Ford's background when Angel asked you to," Xander said.

"And that was a good thing," Willow agreed."What did you say his name was?"

"Cole O'Neill," Buffy replied with a grateful look that included both Xander and Willow.

"I think you're just freaked because he lives in Angel's old apartment building," Anya volunteered."Anything to do with Angel makes you all fidgety.I think you should go down to LA and deal with whatever.I mean, break-up with him or drag him back here, I don't care.Just stop messing up my Saturdays with your issues."

Xander looked apologetic as he nudged Anya with his elbow.

"What?" Anya demanded."Everyone thinks she needs to, you were all saying that last night."

"I'm sorry, Buffy," Willow said contritely."It's just, we don't understand why you won't go.When something is wrong with Angel we expect you to set new speed records getting to him, but you won't even talk to Cordy when she calls anymore."

"He didn't actually kill anyone," Buffy protested."And firing Cordy and Wes?You guys know how annoying they can be, maybe Angel was just having a bad day."

"Not to be argumentative or anything, but Angel left a bunch of people to Darla and Drucillia's mercy, which they don't actually have, being soulless and all" Willow pointed out."I think that goes beyond having a bad day."

"They were all evil," Buffy exclaimed."They were the whole reason Darla and Dru were in LA in the first place. Doesn't that make them getting eaten ironic justice or kismet or karma or something like that?Angel didn't really do anything bad."

"Even if they did deserve it, it was a little on the extreme side don't you think?" Xander asked."Which would make it a good idea for you to go to LA and asked him what's on his mind."

"Angel doesn't want to talk to me," Buffy protested."Why don't you go if you're so sure it needs to be done?"

"Angel and I made peace, that's all," Xander said."And yeah I can see us being friends at some point in the future, assuming his current insanity doesn't end with him dusted, but Cordy and Wes can't get through to him right now.Annoying or not they are his friends.I wouldn't stand a chance.You; on the other hand, he loves.You can make him listen Buffy.Plus, if you have to whap him upside the head, your Slayerness means you can do it hard enough to actually get his attention."

"I can't!"Buffy exclaimed."Not with Glory running around and Mom just back from the hospital and this new guy hanging around Dawn, and college.I'm juggling three lives already, I don't have time to go running off to LA."

"I recognize that look," Joyce said, catching Dawn staring dreamily off into the distance."New romantic interest?"

"Mom!" Dawn protested.

"I promise not to embarrass you," Joyce offered."Just tell me one thing; is he human?"

"Mom!Angel's nicer than a lot of the human guys Buffy has dated.You remember Eric, I think he was three guys before we moved to Sunnydale," Dawn exclaimed, outraged on Buffy's behalf.

"Eric," Joyce said distastefully.

"Right, Mr.-I'm-so-slimy, it was a great day when Buffy dumped him."

"Okay, I know Angel's a good person, especially for a vampire," Joyce sighed."But he really is too old for Buffy… or her grandmother for that matter."

"Come on mom, a human would have to be a corpse to be as old as Angel and he really doesn't act old," Dawn argued.

"Couldn't he find a nice vampire girl to be in love with?" Joyce wondered out loud.

"Right, cause there's so many of them wandering around," Dawn said, rolling her eyes."Anyways, Buffy would still be in love with him."

"Weren't we talking about the guy you were day dreaming about?" Joyce asked.

"Cole, just moved to Sunnydale, he's really cute and sweet," Dawn reported consicly, then the dreamy smile re-emerged."He walked me home from school today and he carried my books."

"So you saw him in the daylight," Joyce sighed."That's good."

"Well, he could be some other type of demon," Dawn said sarcastically."Not all of them combust in sunlight.I mean I didn't ask him.I can just imagine that conversation:'Hi Cole, nice to see you.Oh, by the way are you some kind of demon from Hell out to destroy the world?' Geese Mom."

"Maybe we could have Willow do a spell on him," Joyce suggested.

"Or Spike could punch him in the nose like he did to Tara," Dawn added faceously.

"Would that work?" Joyce asked.

Cole wandered around the small apartment curiously looking through drawers and cub-boards.When he first moved in a thick layer of dust had covered everything.

He didn't think anyone had lived here for quite a while, but everything was exactly as it had been left when the former tenant just walked out one night.Artwork was carefully displayed in formerly lit cases in which the light bulbs had burned out.Bags filled with blood rotted in the refrigerator.The bed stood unmade in one corner behind a decorative screen.A family of mice had made a home in the cushion of the leather chair.A desk stood in one corner.A few items of clothing had been left in the dresser.

Cole's bedroll occupied one side of the room.He'd dusted, evicted the mice and replaced the old blood with a wide variety of junk food, but other than that he'd tried to leave the little apartment as he'd found it.Cole didn't want to disturb the atmosphere, living here was almost like meeting his father, or at least a preparatory step for that event.

His mother, not to mention everyone else at home would be furious with him if they realized what he was up to.

Angel had a destiny, it was important, couldn't be interfered with.The Sidhe had what amounted to a big hands off sign posted on anything dealing with the souled vampire.

They'd made such a mess of interpreting the Galorian Prophecies that in the end they'd decided the safest thing to do was just stay out of the central figure's life.Hopefully, that way the prophecy would simply unfold as it was written.

Only once in almost three centuries had their involvement in the prophecy accomplished anything desirable and that involvement had been fiercely debated and carefully planned.

The Council had been forced to move the debate to another dimension to garner more time to discuss their involvement.Even so they'd barely acted in time to save Angel.And when they did become involved, it was a very limited thing.Only Kelvar was allowed to actually interact with the souled vampire.

Cole had pled to be allowed to speak with his father while Angel was Underhill, but had been refused.Kelvar, Cole's much, much more than Great Grandfather, had tried to soften the refusal by explaining that Angel was badly hurt in body and mind and that any uncontrolled sensory data could do him permanent harm.Buffy Summers was what his mind associated with happiness and security, she was what he reached for.Buffy was a part of Angel's destiny, Cole and his mother weren't.

"Destiny," Cole thought with a snort.For almost a decade he'd been raised to take up the weight of destiny.Then circumstances lead someone to re-examine a bunch of musty old scrolls.That led the Council to conclude that the man they'd written off as dead was actually their prophesized warrior.

"Prophecies were nothing but trouble," that was what Cole had concluded.In the mid-1600's it was foretold that a descendant of Gabriel Elan, the half-mortal child of Kelvar of the Emerald Elfhame would be a Warrior of the Powers that Be in the second Millennium.Thus started the tragedy.

If there was one thing Cole knew it was his family's history, especially the seventy-five years following the prophecy of Galorian.

The Bane-Sidhe learned of the prophecy and they set out to hunt down every mortal who carried even a drop of Kelvar's blood.For three quarters of a century the knights of Emerald Elfhame and the Bane-Sidhe fought.In the end the few remaining descendants were gathered together and brought to the entrance of the Emerald Elfhame where the Sidhe community's entire strength could be thrown into protecting them.

The Emerald Elfhame was almost depopulated in the war that followed and in the end, every descendent of Gabriel Elan was slain… Except for one girl, an eighteen year-old named Anabella who followed her heart despite her parents' wishes to the contrary.They'd all written her off, forgotten her, everyone forgot she had ever existed.Until the portents indicated the Warrior would soon be born.Then they remembered Anabella.

The Sidhe searched for the run away, but they were most cautious in their searching; they didn't want to risk the Bane-Sidhe learning that the prophecy hadn't been defeated yet.Of course there are times when a person can be too cautious.It took them years to trace Anabella and all they found was her grave and a town full of rotting bodies.

"That discovery certainly kicked them into high gear," Cole thought.They summoned the most powerful magics at their disposal and found that Anabella had two descendants; a young vampire who seemed bent on proving himself the most cruel and viscous member of a species known only for their evil and an unborn child.The Sidhe pick the more likely candidate and brought Anna and the yet-to-be-born Cole Underhill.

Kelvar and the others reasoned that if the second millennial warrior was a mortal infant in the 1750's it seemed that the child was destined to grow-up in the slower time frame of Underhill.

Cole spent the first eight years of his life being honed to assume his duties as a Warrior.He was proficient in both martial arts and elven magics.It never once occurred to anyone that a mistake might have been made.

In the meanwhile Anna had been quietly using the magic she'd learned to watch over her former lover.When Angel's soul was restored she demanded that he be taken Underhill as well where he could be cared for at least until he'd learned to deal with his past as a vampire.Anna's request was refused; the Sidhe had no interest in bringing a demon into their safe hold, or in interfering in the Rom's vengeance scheme.However a few members of the community, either out of curiosity or a sense of duty began monitoring the tortured vampire as he falteringly began to seek redemption.

As they watched Angel adapt to his new circumstances it occurred to them that things might not be as they'd always assumed.They re-read the old Galorian Prophecy, and then they sought out other prophecies of the End of Days.Gradually the Sidhe became convinced that Angel was actually their Warrior.

Anna immediately sought permission to bring Angel under the elve's protection and was once again refused.This time because the Sidhe had realized it was Angel's gory past and his subsequent guilt that were forging him into the Powers that Be's Warrior."To assist him in anyway," they declared."Could prevent his destiny from coming to pass."

Not knowing what else to do with himself, Cole continued training as a Warrior.And in his spare time he began wondering about the man who would actually fulfill that roll and who was his father.

Angel's brief trip through the Underhill after being rescued from Hell cemented Cole's determination that he should meet his father.In just over a week, Cole had completed his preparations and left for Sunnydale, only to find that over two years had passed in the mortal plane and Angel had moved to a different city.

"Things never go according to plan," Cole thought as he settled in with a book of his father's drawings to examine."But maybe this was better, Sunnydale gave him a chance to meet people who knew his father.A chance to get to know him second hand before walking up to Angel and introducing himself." 

And besides, Dawn was the greatest.Even if he couldn't figure out why everyone here, including Dawn herself, seemed think she was Buffy's sister.Buffy didn't have a sister, Cole knew that for certain.


	5. Railing at Fate

Railing at Fate

"The first thing we should do is go to the police," Angel advised."Or you should, I'm having difficulties with one of the officers and it would be better if she continues to believe I'm still where she buried me.We're both happier with her thinking that.But you should go; they can keep an eye out for Collin more effectively than we can.Do you have a picture of him?"

"He prefers to be called Cole," Anna said."I don't have a picture, but I can show him to you."

"How?" Angel asked.

"Magic is life and blood to the Sidhe, anyone who lives among them for long learns to develop whatever potential they possess.Not much in my case, but enough for this.I'll need to touch you."

Anna and Angel had moved from the basement to the lobby. Angel sat in the cracked leather chair.Anna rose from her seat on the couch and approached him.Angel watched her cautiously, his muscles tensing as her finger's came to rest on his shoulder.Gradually his eyes focused on the empty air before him.In his mind's eye he saw a young boy, dark eyes sparkling with laughter, auburn hair bleached several shades lighter than Angel's own by exposure to the sun.

"That's Cole?" Angel asked his voice touched with wonder.

"That's your son, Liam," Anna confirmed."I always thought he looked very much as you did."

"I wouldn't know," Angel replied."It's been so long I've forgotten what I look like."

"If the lasses of Galway could see you now they'd not recognize you," Anna giggled."You were so vain of your appearance back then."

"And now they've all died an ugly death because of me," Angel said darkly.

"I'm sorry Li, I didn't think," Anna said.

"You can't just go up a police officer and project Cole's image into his mind," Angel said, changing the subject. "I can sketch him for them.Will you be able to make it to the station if I call a cab for you?"

"Li, I can't," Anna protested."There's too much noise, too many people.I barely made it here."

"I'll call Wesley," Angel sighed."I can ask him to escort you."

Angel picked up the phone and hesitantly dialed.An uneasy look crossed his face as the phone rang.

"Wesley Wyndom-Price speaking," the ex-watcher answered.

The words Angel had planned fled his mind and he stood there silently.

"Hello?Anybody there?" Wesley asked."Bloody prank calls," he muttered a second later.

"It's Angel," the souled vampire finally managed to say.

"Angel," Wesley repeated tonelessly, then dropped into a stunned silence of his own.

Angel swallowed harshly."I need your help," he managed to say despite a suddenly bone dry mouth.

Wesley didn't say anything.

"Wesley?" Angel asked nervously.

"Why would I do you a favor?" Wesley asked."You did fire me, remember?"

Angel took a deep, totally unneeded breath."Because I'm not asking for me.Anna's here, her son… our son… is missing, I need your help."

Wesley blinked at the phone a few time."How could the child be yours?" he asked.

"Please Wesley?" Angel asked quietly.

"You're quite capable of helping this Anna yourself," Wesley said."I won't do this just to give you more time to indulge in your obsession with Darla."

"I know, I'll be doing everything I can," Angel promised."But I can't take her to the police."

"No, that would be rather awkward," Wesley said."Considering they had an autopsy preformed on you and had you buried."

Angel glanced up from his conversation with Anna as the Hyperion's front door swung open.

"Wesley," he said welcomingly, then is a less happy tone added."And Cordelia and Gunn."

"Hello Angel, Miss…" Wesley said.

"Why are you two here?" Angel asked Cordy and Gunn.

"When you hire one of us you hire all of us," Cordy said.

"It was a slow night," Gunn said with a shrug."I was bored."

"What do you mean 'hired'?" Angel asked.

"Well I know your little vengeance crusade doesn't pay," Cordy replied."But Detective Agencies are a business, as you may or may not recall."

"You're going to charge me?" Angel asked.

"Yep," Cordy said."Locating missing children definitely falls into the services rendered category.Now if you'd asked us to pick up a pint of blood from the butchers… Well we would have said no, cause we're pretty miffed about the being fired thing.But assuming we didn't refuse, that would have been a favor, hence no charge.This, on the other hand, is a case.We decided to charge on a per service basis, for example, taking Anna… I didn't catch your last name, is it the same as Angel's, as in were you married or anything?I mean I know his human name, but he wouldn't have had that when you guys were… well… together, however together you were, right?"

Anna shook her head, bewildered by Cordelia's sudden change of topic.

"Anyway, Angel," Cordelia resumed."It'll be fifty dollars to take Anna to the police station.Since we're still in the saving souls business and we think that it would be in your soul's best interest to start helping people again we're only going to do things that would be needlessly harmful to you.Like, say, things requiring direct exposure to sunlight or coming within a hundred yards of Kate Lockley."

"Fine," Angel said coldly.

"Okay," Cordy said cheerfully."Now about the kid being yours.What's his name?How old is he?What does he look like?How did you meet Anna?How did you have a kid?I thought vampires couldn't."

"Mind your own business Cordelia," Angel said.

"I'm gathering data," Cordy protested.

"Perhaps we should take Anna to the station now," Wesley suggested, taking Cordelia by the elbow and leading her back toward the door."If we could borrow you car Angel?Coming Gunn?"

Angel tossed Wesley the keys as Gunn said."No thanks, Police Stations and I have a bad history."

"Understood," Wesley said.

As he left with Anna and Cordelia he over heard Gunn saying."So, what's the story on the girl?"

"I have to use the restroom," Cordelia announced, turning and walking away as they entered the station.

"I believe it's in the other direction," Wesley called after her, noting the sign and arrow clearly posted on the wall.

Cordelia continued down the hall, an anticipatory smile curling her lips.She walked as if she was exactly where she belonged, she stopped beside Kate Lockley's empty desk.After a quick glance to see that there was no one watching her, Cordelia dumped a small vial of clear viscous goo on Kate's seat.

Cordelia rejoined Wesley and Anna in time to get a good look at the sketch Angel had drawn of Cole, and to note Anna's calm easy manner when dealing with the police.All the while Cordy kept one ear perked in the direction of Kate's desk.

As the trio left the station they heard a clatter then Kate's voice raised in anger, but increasingly drowned out by her colleagues' laughter.

Cordelia started in the direction of the commotion, but after one look at her gleeful expression Wesley hustled her out of the station.

"What did you do?" Wesley hissed as he started the car.

"All right.Gluing Kate to her chair was petty and beneath me," Cordy said happily."What I'd really like to do is lock her is box full of something she's intensely allergic to, but since I can't do that, I'll have to be satisfied with being petty."

"Yes… well…" Wesley began fighting the urge to grin."Don't you think that provoking the somewhat unbalanced detective shows a lack of judgment?"

"What's she going to do to me?" Cordelia said with a careless shrug, before turning her attention to Anna."You're a lot more calm and collected when Angel's not in the room," she accused.

"Cole isn't the only one I worry for," Anna admitted.

"You know about Angel's whole obsession thing too," Cordy realized."And it scares you.That's why you made him call us.You're using this Cole thing to make Angel let you help him… Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the intent, it's way more than Buffy managed, but Angel's going to be majorly pissed when he hinds out you lied."

"I didn't lie, Cole has run away," Anna said.

"But he's running to Angel, isn't he?" Wesley reasoned.

"Yes," Anna said."Cole has wanted to meet his father for years, he almost got that chance a week ago, but the Council Elders prevented Liam from perceiving our world.I think being so close, but still unable to reach Liam was more than Cole could stand.He shouldn't have done it and he's too young to be wandering about by himself, but Cole was being trained to function on this plane.He's very capable for his age."

"So why isn't he here now?" Wesley asked.

"I don't know," Anna said, a quaver entering her voice.

"Wait, I'm not following something," Cordelia said."When was Angel in your plane?I mean I know we've been out of the loop since being fired, but I think we would have know about him going to another dimension."

"It was right before Liam returned from Hell," Anna said.

"The time differential," Wesley realized."Would a fourteen year old have remember that?Or would he have simply rushed off to the place where he expected Angel to be."

"So we need to check out Sunnydale," Cordelia said."What fun."

"You really want us to come to Sunnydale with you?" Cordelia asked.

"I asked you to come," Angel said.

"But we're still fired right?"Cordelia asked."Why?Why can we help now but not against Darla and Drucillia.You can handle this, but with them you're one step away from kook's-ville and you push us away.Do you want to over the edge?"

"No!" Angel snapped.

"Then why did you push us away?"Cordy demanded."We were trying to help you."

"No you weren't," Angel said angrily."You wanted me to do what you thought I should.What you and Wesley want is to dictate how I feel and what I do.I'm supposed to kill the vampires and save the humans.It's not suppose to make any difference to me that those humans were evil or that the vampires in question are my blood.Or that the whole mess was Wolfram and Hart's fault."

"So you're going to let them do what ever they want, kill who ever they choose?" Cordy demanded angrily.

"I couldn't kill them for those people," Angel said."I know I have to kill them, but not for Holland Mannors.I don't even know that I can kill them at all.I've seen Darla and Dru human and it's my fault I have to kill them now.I really don't know if can do it, but I know that the demon could.It could kill anyone, it doesn't love or feel remorse or regret."

"So you're sending us away so you can let your alter ego out to play and hope he kills the right people?" Cordy snapped.

"I'm trying to use his strengths so I can do something I've always failed at.Do you know what I did when Dru and Spike first came to Sunnydale?I went to her and asked her to leave.I didn't care who she killed as long as I never had to choose between her and someone I knew!God, I couldn't even manage to kill Penn, I had to have Kate do it for me.Penn was a self-absorbed, whining idiot of a human, but I couldn't kill him, not remembering his fear when I turned him.I couldn't kill him.How am I supposed to kill the others?William… Spike was a poet, a lovelorn fool of a child when Dru found him.Dru was a sweet, innocent girl when I began driving her insane.And I almost saved Darla, she was ready to take her second chance, even if it meant dying in a few short months and they corrupted her again!"

"What are you going to do then?Let them kill you?Kill who knows how many other innocents, because once upon a time they were the victim?"Cordy asked."Come on Angel, reason a little."

"I'm going to do my best," Angel said."But that hasn't been good enough lately has it?If I'm going to have any chance at all when I fight them I can't afford to feel anything, it's too hard to feel.That's why I need you, Wesley and Gunn to keep your distance… And at least this way, if I fail again, there's a chance they'll forget you."

"And if we're there you'll have a reason to fight harder," Cordy said.

"Please Cordelia, let me handle one battle at a time," Angel requested tiredly.

Drucillia teetered into the main room of her and Darla's new lair.Giggling madly she tumbled over the back of the couch to land with her head hanging of the edge and her feet kicking in the air."There are secrets in the wind," she confided happily.

Darla glanced up from studying a mostly healed burn on her arm irritably."What do you want?"She demanded.

"It's not what I want," Dru laughed."It's what I've got!"

"What do you have now?" Darla sighed boredly.

"A little brother," Dru exclaimed."My Angel's dreams are all full of his son, they sing to me."

Darla looked up, suddenly interested."Angel turned someone?" She asked.

"Oh no, he has a human type child," Dru said, "Not a vampire child."

"Look lunacy-girl, vampires don't have human children, not after the first few decades anyway, and soul or no, Angel is a vampire, therefore he doesn't have a human son," Darla snapped.

"He does," Dru pouted"And it was terribly rude of him not to perform introductions.I shall simply have to do it myself."She sighed, rolling to her feet.

"Where are you going?" Darla demanded.

"To the mouth of Hell," Dru said."The wind whispers that the would-be warrior seeks his father there."


	6. Genetic Predetermination

Genetic Predetermination

"I come down here when I want to get away from my parents," Cole said, opening the door to Angel's old apartment."I wonder about the guy that used to rent this place.Well, I guess he still does according to the landlady.I asked about it, because he's never here.She says he always pays his rent for a year in advance.He left all this stuff here, then he's never here, but he still pays the rent, it's really curious don't you think?"

Dawn squirmed a little, she was dying to tell Cole the story, which she knew better than most having snitched Buffy's diary and asked Angel a few questions even Buffy hadn't.But that story involved a whole bunch of things that she knew better than to talk about, starting with vampires and ending with a sister who just happened to the Slayer.

"You know something," Cole pressed, grinning."I can tell.Come on, what's the scoop?"

"I know him, the guy that lived here I mean," Dawn admitted."He's my sister's boyfriend."

"So what's the story about this place?" Cole asked.

"I actually didn't know he still had it," Dawn said."He lived here when we first moved to Sunnydale.Then some bad stuff happened and he… left… for a while.When he came back he lived in this other place.I thought it was weird, because the new place had to have had some really bad association for him and Buffy.I asked him once why he didn't get the apartment back.I mean it's not like the really limited windows in this place make it a top seller.Anyway he said it was easier to live with nightmares than broken dreams."

Cole nodded; his dark eyes alight with interest."What's he like?"

"Angel?He makes my sister cry too much," Dawn said."But he loves her, he'd literally die for her, that's not even a question.I don't know... he's hard to explain.He's quiet; sometimes I think he's a little shy.He used to make Buffy feel safe."

"The girl that's way into kick boxing?" Cole asked.

"Yeah, I know," Dawn replied."Buffy doesn't need protection, but it wasn't that kind of safe.He was the one who would always lover her, no matter what.He was the one person that she never had to put up a front for.She didn't have to be strong for him, or normal, or anything.She didn't have to hide anything from him."

"When I first met Angel it was like he lived for Buffy.She was everything to him, if he wasn't talking to her or about her he probably wasn't talking.I think that's part of why they're fighting now.Well, not so much fighting, that would require them to be speaking to each other," Dawn sighed."Things changed, they had to break up for a while and Angel got a life that had more than Buffy in it.She's not the whole of his world anymore and she doesn't like that.I think Buffy's the one that's wrong this time, Angel's… I don't know… more whole?now.We've been talking lately, I keep him up to date on how Buffy's doing, since she won't talk to him, and she finds how he's doing by listening in on my conversations."

"Right now he's all wrapped up in this case… he's a detective, isn't that just the coolest thing?He hasn't called lately but it's just because of the case, it's really important to him.He tried to stop this evil law firm from hurting people.I bet they're really mad at him and maybe he had to go into hiding or something.He'll beat them eventually, or Buffy'll get all "Don't you dare threaten my boyfriend" and kick their butts, then everything will be okay again. But anyway, before Angel got so busy we were talking and it was nice.Before when he talked to me it was just because I'm Buffy's little sister, I like it a lot better when he's talking to Dawn.It's like I'm a real person, you know?He's changed and it's a good thing.I mean he socializes with people who aren't even Buffy."

"Come on," Cole protested."He can't have been that wrapped up in her."

"You never met Angel," Dawn replied, missing the hurt look that flashed into Cole's eyes.

"You were right to worried about this Cole person," Willow said."To start with, I don't think that's even his name.I couldn't find a birth certificate or a social security number or anything."

"Poor Dawnie," Tara said."This isn't going to be easy on her."

"You're sure that it's really bad?" Buffy asked sadly, "I was hoping my wiggins about Cole was a false alarm."

"If it were just that, I would say lets be cautious and look into his background more carefully," Willow sighed."I mean with just that he could have been a run-away, just a kid that needs help.But his school records, which do exist by the way, just scream supernatural."

"How so?" Buffy asked.

"They're gobblity gook," Willow explained, "But no one notices.For example, the school he claims to have gone to last is in Minnesota according to it's website, but on his transcript he claims to have lived in Louisiana while he was going there.And it says he took physics, but he doesn't have the math requirements… then there's the whole fact his transcript says he got a C in battle magic."

"He took a class in magic?" Xander asked."And got credit?We should have asked Giles to give us credit for all the research we did in High School, I should have gotten an A for effort alone.An A would have helped my GPA a lot."

"According to Cole's permanent record he did just that," Willow replied."And no one at the school is even a little bothered by that.It's not right, I think he's working some sort of mojo on them."

"I wonder if it runs in the family," Buffy said with a bitter laugh."Maybe Summers are just genetically predisposed to fall for guys who are neck deep in weirdness.Anybody know how I'm going to break the news to Dawn?"

"They had to be certain the Slayer would protect it with her life," Spike read."So they sent the key to her… in human form.In the form of a sister."

Dawn felt her world collapsing around her.

Spike frowned, glancing over at Dawn,"Huh!I guess that's you Nibblet."

"That's what they meant, why they're all talking about me.Why people just come up on the street and tell me I'm not real… I'm not. Oh God, I'm not real," Dawn stammered, fleeing the magic shop.  
  
"Hey, where are you going?" Spike asked following her.

"Cole!" Dawn yelled, pounding on the closed door.

"Slow down kid!" Spike said, jogging into the apartment building.

"Cole!Oh yeah, he doesn't live her," Dawn exclaimed in disgust, turning away from the door.

"Dawn?" Cole asked sleepily, rubbing a hand over his face as he opened the door."It's the middle of the night."

"I'm real aren't I?" Dawn demanded.

"What?Of course you're real, if not I'm hallucinating things," Cole said.

"Not funny," Dawn said.

"Dawn, I'm half-asleep," Cole sighed."Why wouldn't you be real?"  
  


"Because I'm this key thing," Dawn exclaimed."These monks made me, I'm not human."

"So?Doesn't mean you're not real.He's real isn't her?" Cole asked gesturing to Spike."He's not human, most of the people I grew up with weren't human.It didn't make them less real, they're still people.You're as real as anyone Dawn, always were."

Slowly Dawn backed away from Cole, staring at him, absolutely horrified.

"What the bloody hell are you?" Spike asked, pulling Dawn to him protectively.

"He's your uncle," Drucillia chimed from down the hallway."My dearest, darlingest, little brother, who I never even met."

"Dru, what brings you to Sunnyhell?" Spike asked, striving for casual as he put himself between his insane ex-girlfriend and Dawn.

"You know her," Darla said coming in behind Drucillia."The wind told her some ridiculous story so here she is."

"Darla… I heard you were dust," Spike said, sounding less than thrilled to find out otherwise.

"And I heard that you're the Slayer's new pet vampire," Darla replied.

"It would be ever so much nicer to go inside and visit," Dru said walking to Angel's door.

"We don't have an invitation," Darla pointed out.

"It's Daddy's home," Dru said.Turning to Cole she added, "His aurora clings to this place.You haven't even tried to make it yours."

"Angel's not your father you crazy bitch," Cole snapped.

Dru's hand shot out catching Cole by the shoulder and dragging him to her."Naughty, naughty," she reprimanded, shaking him soundly."You are a terribly rude child, I shall have to wash your mouth out with soap."

ImperiouslyDru marched into the apartment, towing Cole after her.

"We might as well make ourselves comfortable," Darla said to Spike."Bring the girl."

"I'm not interested," Spike said moving toward the door, keeping Dawn close."I think I'll just be on my way."

"You always were impertinent," Darla sighed."I'm your elder Spike, when I say something, it's not a suggestion."

Spike glanced at the narrow doorway and Darla planted firmly in the center of it then turned and walked into the apartment with Dawn.

Darla followed them.Once Spike had taken a seat with Dawn on the bed, Darla pulled the armchair in front of the door and perched on one arm.Drucillia reappeared from the bathroom, brushing unhappily at water stains on her dress as she claimed the other arm of the armchair as her seat.

Cole walked into the main room a few seconds later wiping soap subs from his lips and looking rather the worse for wear sporting a bruised on his cheek. 

"We need formal introductions," Dru announced as Cole slumped to the floor."Angel should perform them, but as he had been lax in his manners we shall make do.I am Drucillia, your sister.This is Darla, your Grandmother-niece.That is Spike, your nephew.What is your name and hers?" Dru asked gesturing to Cole and Dawn in turn.

Cole glared back sulkily.

"I'm not in the mood for this," Darla said."You, boy, are you Angel's?"  
  


"Why would I tell you?" Cole spat.

"Because if I get frustrated or bored with you I'll eat you," Darla said, inspecting her nails.

"I'd like to see you try!"Cole said jumping to his feet.Having his almost girlfriend show up at his door in the middle of the night with a vampire as a watchdog wanting to know if she was real and then having insane vampiress show up a few minutes later for a family visit and threatening to wash his mouth out with soap had thrown Cole for a while.But he'd spent a lifetime preparing for evil demons that wanted to destroy the world or kill him. 

He stood, balanced on the balls of his feet, glancing longingly at his pack, laying several feet from him and holding his sword.

"Can't you see Angel in his face Grandmummy?"Drucillia asked.

"Cole be careful!"Dawn exclaimed, then squirmed uncomfortable as all eyes came to rest on her.

"Buffy, have you seen Dawn?" Joyce asked frowning."She's not in her room, or the house as far as I can tell."


	7. Hanging in the Balance

Hanging in the Balance

"It's like she just disappeared off the face of the earth!" Buffy exclaimed, her eyes sweeping over the Slayerettes new and old plus her mom, searching for reassurance and finding none."I've searched every where but no Dawn… Do you think Glory has her?"

"I don't know if it means anything," Xander said."But Spike didn't make it back to his crypt today either.That makes two days running.It worries me that he disappears the same night Dawn does.You know how far we can trust him."

"I hate to bring up more bad news," Willow said."But Spike and Dawn aren't the only ones missing.Cole was absent from school as well.He doesn't really live at Angel's old building either.I checked with the landlady; no one named O'Neill rents from her.But she had seen a boy that sounds like Cole hanging around during the last month or so.She remembered him because he asked a lot of questions… About Angel."

"Angel?That doesn't make sense," Buffy said."If he's one of Glory's minions, or one those other Hellgods, or one of the knights I fought, or anybody else who's after the Key, why would he be interested in Angel?Angel's not involved in this, he doesn't even know about Dawn being the Key."

"We seem to have quite a number of pieces to the puzzle," Giles said. "But none of them fit together."

The doorbell rang and Joyce excused herself to answer it, she returned with Angel, Cordelia, Wesley, Gunn and a strange woman in tow.

"Why are you guys here?" Buffy asked, a sense of dread filling her.

"We're looking for a boy…" Angel began.

"Cole!" Buffy exclaimed.

"How did you know?" Wesley asked.

"He was dating Dawn," Buffy said.

Cordelia choked on repressed laughter."Don't mind me," she said."It's just… Buffy's kid sister and… I'm shutting up now, you didn't have to elbow me Gunn."

"Where is he?" Angel asked urgently.

"I knew it!" Buffy moaned."He's some sort of evil demon isn't he?"

"Cole isn't a demon," Angel said angrily.

"Then what is he?Why are YOU looking for him?" Buffy demanded.

"He's my son," Anna said, stepping forward.

"Our son," Angel corrected softly.

Buffy's legs collapsed under her, dropping her onto the couch.She couldn't say anything.She just stared at Angel.

"You cheated on Buffy!"Willow accused Angel angrily.Then paused."Or, considering Cole's age, maybe it would be more accurate to say you cheated with Buffy."

"You're one to talk," Cordy commented.

"I'm assuming there's a long explanation," Xander said mildly."Including why NO ONE here knew you had a kid before tonight."

"How would also prove quite the story," Giles said, in full watcher mode."It should be an impossibility.

"I guess I really don't know you at all," Buffy said, still staring at Angel.

"Oh for the love of God," Anna huffed."I walked out of Liam's life more than two centuries ago, at least as this dimension counts time.He died before I realized I was carrying and had no way of knowing I was alive or that Cole even existed until yesterday.He didn't betray you Buffy.Now can we move on?Where is my son!?"

"Missing," Anya supplied."Along with Buffy's younger sister and Spike."

Dawn sat on the floor in the center of the buried church, a shackle around her ankle chained to a ring set in the floor.Her eyes were wide with fear and her breathing jagged as Drucillia knelt behind her, twisting the younger girl's hair into an elaborate plait.

Spike hovered nearby and Cole glared from where he was chained at the foot of the Master's throne, several more bruises adorned his arms and there was a cut across his forehead, curtsey of his earlier attempt at defiance.If he hadn't left his sword in the pack he was certain he could have taken at least one of the vampires, but unarmed he hadn't stood a chance against their greater speed and strength.

"I think I shall taste her," Dru announced."She's energy with blood, it's most curious."

"She's mine Dru," Spike growled, pushing the dark haired vampiress away from Dawn.

"You always used to share with your princess," Dru pouted, scowling at Spike.

"You're not exactly mine anymore are you Dru," Spike replied."If you've gotta eat someone, eat the boy.He's as close to tasting Angel as a human as you'll ever find."

Dawn, who had been huddled against Spike, drew away from him at his suggestion, her eyes both angry and fearful.

"I think I shall, just a taste though," Dru said, swaying across the room to Cole.

The boy's dark eyes slowly dilated as he repeatedly drew deep breaths, forcing himself to stay calm and collected.He didn't fight as Dru tipped his head back, exposing his neck.

Cole was vaguely aware that Dawn was shrieking at Spike, begging the muzzled vampire to protect him, but Cole shut it out.He couldn't afford to depend on Spike's benevolence.

Cole shuttered as Drucillia's fangs delicately broke the skin over his jugular.As her skin came in contact with his, Cole reached into her mind and twisted her perceptions.Dru pulled back, glaring at Cole as she spat out a mouthful of blood."Soap!" she cried in outrage.

"Payback sis!" Cole crowed triumphantly.

"It's a time honored tradition among siblings," Dawn added, giggling in relief."Even ones who aren't really related."

"I'm thinking Buffy did pretty well in the supernatural relations deal," Cole said to Dawn."She got you and look what I get."

Dawn giggled again, feeling a little giddy.

Dru glared angrily at both of them."Brats!" she spat.

"Oh…" Dru moaned a few minutes later, clutching her stomach."What has Grandmother done?This won't do at all.It just won't do.Spike, watch them, I must have words with Grandmummy-baby.If they escape I shall be most put out with you my knight."

Angel paced restlessly about the Summer's kitchen and front room.Willow and Tara were looking into tracing Cole and Dawn magically, which left the rest of them with little to do but wait.

It was a hard position to be in.It had been better than a month since Angel had worked as a part of a team and even longer since he'd stopped for anything more than an hour or two of sleep.There had always been something to do.Harassing Lindsey and Lilah if nothing else, or endless training.Anything to keep moving, to keep from reflecting.

Now they wanted him to wait, to stop, to accept that there were things he needed others for.It could drive a person insane.

As he made his way past the couch for what was probably the three-dozenth time Anna reached out and caught his arm.She encouraged Angel to take a seat beside her."You're making everyone nervous Liam," she said quietly."Take a deep breath, calm down."

"I don't breath," Angel replied shortly.

"Then count to ten," Anna said implacably."And still calm down.Li, I need you to hold together, please sit."

Reluctantly Angel took a seat beside Anna.She kept her hand on his forearm, as if to tether him there.

Buffy, just coming back downstairs from her room, glared at the pair."Angel could I talk with you, in private?" she asked.

"I'm calm," Angel said apologetically to Anna as he got up and followed Buffy back upstairs.

"What's going on with you?" Buffy demanded as soon as her bedroom door closed behind them."You fire your friends, you won't take my calls…"

"I won't take your calls?" Angel replied angrily."The only person living in this house that doesn't hang up as soon as she recognizes my voice is Dawn."

"I was mad at you!" Buffy yelled back."If anything important had happened, like say if I had killed a bunch of people, I would have called you!"

"Your sister is some sort of magical key, all my memories of her are false and there's a hellgod fighting you for her!That's nothing?" Angel exclaimed."You didn't even tell me how Joyce's surgery went.Dawn told me.Didn't you think I cared?"

"No I didn't," Buffy replied."You never even ask about me when you call."

"How the hell would you know what I ask Dawn or Xander," Angel snapped.

"I listen in okay!" Buffy shouted."All you ever do is obsess about Darla and that stupid law firm!… You've been talking to Xander?"

"Dawn tells me about what's going on in your life as soon as I call.I don't have to ask that, she knows I need to hear that you're okay!She asks what's happening to me, so I tell her.That way, if you gave a damn, someone could catch you up on my life."Angel replied."But maybe you've been missing the first part of the conversation.Yeah I tell Dawn about Darla and Wolfram and Hart.That's what I'm trying to deal with!I don't obsess!"

"Yes you do!" Cordy yelled through the door.

"Mind your own business Cordelia!" Angel yelled back."Hasn't anyone ever told you that you shouldn't eves-drop?"

"It's not eves-dropping when the whole house can hear the two of you screaming at each other." Cordy replied.

"What's your excuse Buffy?" Angel asked.

"Why would I want to talk with you anyway?All you'd do is go on about Darla.Who really cares about Darla anyway?"Buffy snapped."Angel, when are you going to face the fact that all she is is an evil bitch who's only purpose in being alive is to screw with your mind?"

"Oh she's interested in more than his mind," Cordy added from the hallway."There's his body too."

Angel jerked the door open and Cordy jumped back with a squawk.

Standing in the doorway, Angel paused to look back at Buffy."Darla was human, she had a soul.If she can't be redeemed how can I?" he asked in a soft voice that held despair as well as anger.Then he turned and rushed down the stairs.Angel snatched up his duster from where he hung it beside the door and stalked out into the night, the door slamming shut behind him.

"Angel?" Buffy called futilely after him.

After several tense minutes, Buffy announced, "I'm going to go beat up Willie the snitch, it can't hurt right?"Then left as well.

Spike jerked upwards on the ring securing Dawn's restraint to the floor."I think it gave a little that time," he said.Dawn smiled encouragingly at him.

"I'll get you out of here safe Nibblet.Your sister 'id never forgive me otherwise."

"Hurry," Cole urged."We don't know how long till one of them comes back."

"I know that," Spike growled.

"You're doing really great," Dawn said to Spike.

"Least someone appreciates me," Spike grunted, pulling against the chain with all his strength.Bits of broken masonry poofed out from around the bolt securing the ring to the floor.Spike tugged on it again, pulling to the side, trying to jiggle it free.The pin rocked visibly in it's mooring.The blond vampire twisted several lengths of chain around his hands, squatting to use the strength in his legs against the stubborn pin.

Just as he prepared for another go at the ring Drucillia swept grandly into the room."Bad dog," she reprimanded him sharply, looking cross.

Spike jerked upright, looking guilty but freeing Dawn as he stood."Come on Princess, let the girl go, for your Spike.Please?"

"No, you've been horribly bad.Your heart's all full ofthe Slayer.It's disgusting.I shant grant you any boons."

"Dawn run," Spike ordered, dropping the chain and stepping between his ex-lover and Dawn.

"But Cole," Dawn protested gathering the chain so it wouldn't trip her.

"Run," Cole shouted."Get help."

Dawn turned and fled as Drucillia lunged for her.Spike caught his sire by the arm and spun her around, releasing her to crash into a wall.

As the former lovers squared off against each other Dawn escaped into the tunnels.

Dru shrieked inarticulately as she clawed Spike across the face, opening a deep gash in his cheek.

"She's not worth it pet," Spike warned, ducking Dru's next blow."You've still got the boy, he's the one you came for."

Dru shifted to her demonic features, hissing angrily at Spike.He grabbed her arms."Don't make me hurt you," he said.

Dru kneed him in the groin and Spike collapsed to his knees, groaning."Betrayer!" Dru shrieked, kicking him repeatedly.A final kick caught him under the jaw, snapping his head back and rendering him unconscious.Dru left him crumpled on the floor as she took off after Dawn.

A number of minutes later Spike pushed himself groggily to his knees."Where'd they go?" He asked.

"Into the tunnels," Cole said.

"Thanks kid," Spike replied turning to follow."Well, best of luck."

"Please, don't leave me here," Cole requested forlornly.

Spike didn't bother to reply as he walked out. 


	8. Let the Cards Fall

Let the Cards Fall

Angel wandered through Sunnydale's familiar night, no real destination in mind, just a desire to do something useful.He wanted this done.He wanted Cole and Dawn found and safe.He wanted to be free of Sunnydale and loved ones who kept asking questions that he couldn't answer.Questions, topics that he really didn't even want to think about.He knew what he needed to do; defeat Wolfram and Hart, kill Dru and Darla; he didn't need to think about it.Why wasn't important, it was what he had to do.Considering the methods he was going to have to employ to achieve those goals he didn't want to think about it anyway.For once there was something he had no desire to brood about.

The methods didn't matter, why didn't matter, winning was all that counted.Watching helplessly as Darla was killed was the last failure Angel could take.He'd played fair, followed all the rules, done what everyone from the PTB to Kate Lockley had asked of him and all he'd gotten was failure… Tina died, Kate's father died, Lisa Brewer was still out there, no jury in the world would ever convict the blind assassin, Darla had been raised from the dead and then made a vampire again, every time he'd been helpless to prevent the bad things from happening because he tried to play fair.

He'd tried so hard to save Darla, with no help at all from the PTB.Like Buffy, Cordelia and all the rest the PTB hadn't cared about the former vampire.

His friends saw a difference between himself and Darla, but Angel couldn't.He didn't believe that the PTB would see a difference either.Buffy and the others didn't know enough about him to truly judge.Only himself, Darla and what ever higher Powers that existed knew about those first years after the curse, when he'd tried to act as a vampire despite his soul.When he'd killed as a vampire kills, he'd only been able to force himself to kill murders, rapists, and the like but he knew of all people he had no right to judge someone as being unworthy to live.

His friends saw him as being fundamentally different from Darla only because those first few years had happened so long before they'd met him."Maybe if Darla had been given the time to adjust and to start making amends they would have been willing to give her a chance," Angel thought, then grimaced.It was more likely that if they had been there when he'd first been cursed they'd want nothing to do with him either.

He wasn't trying to upset or hurt his friends.He was just trying to do what he had to and survive with some shred of his sanity intact."Why couldn't they see that?" Angel wondered bitterly."Could it possibly be because you told them so many lies just to have them as friends that they couldn't be expected to have the slightest clue as to how similar to Darla you actually are… were."

It wasn't that he wanted to get out of Sunnydale, Angel realized.He needed to get back to LA and the safety of a war he could loose himself in fighting.But to do that he had to find Cole and Dawn first.

"How hard could it be?" Angel thought.He was a vampire after all, a hunter.Shouldn't he be able to track the two teenager's movements?All he needed was a starting point.Cole had been seen around his old building, it was something.

"It was just a place," Angel reminded himself as he stood uncertainly outside of the building.

As soon as Angel entered the hallway outside his apartment he knew that Darla, Dru and Spike had been there in addition to Dawn and another human who to be Cole.Dawn and Cole's scents were laced with fear; that was expected if the vampires had taken them captive.Darla and Dru had been calm, also not a surprise, kidnapping a pair of children would have been trivial for three master vampires.What was odd was Spike; the peroxide blond had been highly agitated.

Angel wasn't sure how to take what he'd learned.Dru and Darla's involvement meant he was to blame for this latest set of problems.Still, if it had been Glory that had taken them, he would have been in the dark, but he could always find the other vampires who made up his old family.Angel didn't know exactly how it worked, but all it took was enough desire and he would find them.

Better than a year after being cursed he decided to return to them, despite the fact Darla had threaten to stake him the last time they'd spoken.He followed little more than hunches from Romania to China walked into the middle of a war and less than seven months after he decided to find them he had been pleading his case with Darla.

Sunnydale was a lot smaller than the combined continents of Europe and Asia, how hard could it be to find them here?

Dawn crashed blindly through the tunnels, the chain around her leg tangled about her feet, hindering her as she fled.She didn't know where she was going and all the tunnels looked frighteningly the same.Behind her the sounds of fighting faded away, taking with them her last reference point.

Finally Dawn spotted a manhole cover above her.She clambered up the access ladder and pushed at the heavy metal circle.Gratingly it rose.Dawn was forced to stop for rest once it was ajar.After a few moments she braced her shoulder against the heavy cover and shoved up, sliding it over a few more inches before relaxing back against the ladder, panting from exertion.

"Dawn… My lost little girl shaped thing…" Drucilla called in her singsong voice from the depths of the tunnels.

Tears stung Dawn's eyes as she pushed at the cover again.Then suddenly slender fingers appeared around the edge and the cover was easily tossed aside.

"Buffy!" Dawn sobbed in relief, reaching for her older sister.Buffy leaned over the hole, taking Dawn's arms by the wrists and lifting her out.

A sudden jerk on the chain around Dawn's leg overset both girls, tumbling them back into the access tunnels.

"Slayer," Drucilla hissed, rapidly using the chain to haul Dawn to her side.

"Let her go," Buffy warned, regaining her feet.

"I like her," Dru said, wrapping a hand around Dawn's neck.

Dawn stared pleadingly at her sister.Buffy's face filled with helpless fury.She knew Dru could kill Dawn before she could reach them.

"If anything happens to her I swear I'll hunt you to the ends of the Earth and I will make you beg for death," Buffy threatened.

"Why shouldn't I take what's yours?"Dru asked."You've taken so much of what's mine.You've taken my Angel all away, forever and ever.With or without his soul he is always yours and never mine.Now you take Spike as well.Why shouldn't I take this one?"

Dawn kicked and squirmed hopelessly as Dru's fingers tightened around her throat.Thin streams of blood appeared where Dru's long, deadly nails cut into her flesh.

"No!" Buffy protested.Then stared as Drucilla crumbled to dust, revealing Spike standing behind her, a stunned expression on his face, blood still seeping from the deep cut on his cheek.

Dawn collapsed to the floor and Buffy ran to her side, hugging her tightly."You saved her," Buffy said to Spike, sounding disbelieving.

Spike blinked a few times then shook his head as if trying to collect his wits as he turned to the sisters."I guess I did," he said.

"Thank you," Buffy replied.

"Yeah," Spike said, a smug expression replacing the blank shock on his face."You owe me, Slayer.We never did go on that date."

Buffy felt her normal Spike-based annoyance rising, but then he glanced back at Dru's ashes and the cocky façade cracked for a second, giving Buffy a glimpse of the loss and confusion Spike was trying to hide.

"I guess it wouldn't be too awful if you hung out with us at the Bronze some of the time," she sighed.

"Really?" Spike asked, a trace of innocent pleasure sounding oddly out of place from his lips.

"Really," Buffy replied leading Dawn to the access ladder and boosting her up the first few rungs.

As she put her foot on the first rung, preparing to follow Dawn out, Buffy glanced back to see Spike, standing, head bowed in a pool of moonlight.

Buffy found herself remembering how she'd felt after sending Angel to Hell.Grieving and feeling so horribly alone because she had known that no one else would grieve for the souled vampire, for her love.

"Spike," Buffy said hesitantly."If you need to talk, or just have some company, I think Mom bought some more of those little marshmallows.I could make hot chocolate."

Spike's head jerked up and his mouth dropped open at Buffy's words.Blushing the Slayer turned and climbed to the surface.

Angel stared at the man glancing nervously about the shadow of one of Sunnydale's numerous cemeteries; Lindsey McDonald was the last person he'd expected to see in Sunnydale.

But then maybe he shouldn't be surprised."If Darla was here how long could it before the lawyer showed up as well," Angel thought with derision.That Lindsey loved his Sire was pathetically obvious, he'd done everything he could for her and in the process destroy any ability Darla might have had to love him in return.

Vampires were bound by what they'd been in life.Spike might have been awful poet, but he had been a true romantic.The blond loved, hopelessly, foolishly, obsessively.No matter how often or how badly he was burned Spike would always be compelled to follow his heart; it was part of his nature."Love's Bitch," he'd called himself and Spike could never change that.Spike was a rarity among vampires.Humans and other souled creatures could grow and change, things without souls couldn't.They were static, their most basic essence defined only by what they were and never what they'd experienced.

Vampires were the most variable of soulless demons.Formed from what they had been as humans and the demon each was unique, but once created they were as unchangeable as anything else without a soul.Drucilla's madness could never be cured.Liam's hurt anger could never fade, no matter how Angelus lashed out at the world around him.Darla would never be anything other than ruthlessly self-centered.

Angel wasn't certain whether Drucilla could love or not, it was difficult to see what was real with her and what was the play-acting of a mad woman-child.But he knew without his soul he was incapable of love, as was Darla.They'd been lovers for a hundred and fifty years and yet they'd never felt the slightest love for one another.Darla may have convinced herself that she'd loved him after being made human, but Angel remembered what it had been like between them.They lusted after one another, he craved the praise she gave him for his viciousness and she wanted the power that came from being his consort.

Angel knew what he'd been as a mortal, severely unhappy but too self-absorbed to see other people except in how they related to him.Those he could use he did and the rest seemed to exist only to hurt him, all except Kathleen.She had loved him with a child's unconditional love and he would have done anything to keep her love.While alive he'd been hurt and as a vampire he delighted in causing torment.

Darla had been made a vampire a century before his birth, but he could guess what she'd been like as mortal; he knew she'd been a prostitute, that she'd done what she felt she had to to survive, but she hadn't enjoyed it.He imagined she'd been very bitter.In life Darla had been used, in death she never would be again.

When Darla appeared to lead Lindsey into the tunnels beneath a particular crypt, Angel instantly realized that she and Drucilla must have taken up residence in the Master's old lair.He choose another path and raced through the tunnels counting on Lindsey's humanity to delay Darla long enough for him to take out Drucilla and possibly Spike as well, before the other vampire arrived.

Angel burst into the buried church ready for battle and found to his shock, that only Cole was still there.

Cole's expression was suffused with awe as he recognized Angel."You came for me," the boy breathed.

"Your mother's worried sick," Angel stammered, embarrassed by Cole's reaction to him, he certainly didn't deserve the boy's love.

"Mom actually broke the rules and went to you to find me?" Cole asked excitedly."Did she tell you?"

"I'm sorry I didn't know about you," Angel began awkwardly, how did he convey how much he wished he'd actually been able to be a father to this boy.

"You didn't know," Cole said with a shrug."The council didn't let you know, it wasn't your fault.I just had to meet you anyway.I don't care about destiny or any of that crap, I wanted to talk to you."

"I'd like that too," Angel said."But let's say we get out of here first."

"Sounds good to me," Cole replied, his smile threatening to split his cheeks."Did Dawn tell you where to find me?"

"I had been hoping she'd be with you," Angel said."What happened?"

"Spike broke her loose.He and Drucilla fought.By the way, do I have any other lunatic vampire siblings who are going to be showing up?Afterwards they both went after Dawn into the tunnels," Cole reported.

"I knew it couldn't be this easy," Angel muttered, slamming the heel of his boot into the Master's throne and looking pleased when it splintered around the embedded chain that held Cole prisoner.

"Angel!" Darla cried angrily, exiting the tunnels with Lindsey.

Angel spun to confront her.In a second the former lovers where at each other's throats, both vamped out and snarling.

Lindsey pulled a gun, moving around the perimeter of the room, looking for a shot.

Then Angel knocked Darla to the floor and pinned her there, pulling a stake from his coat.Darla locked both hands around his wrist, but it was obvious that it would be only a matter of seconds until the blond vampiress was overpowered.

Lindsey's gun echoed loudly in the confided space as he fired.Angel winced at the bullet entering his back but didn't loose his advantage over Darla.

"Do that again and human or no you won't walk out of here alive," Angel warned the lawyer, never looking up from Darla.

"If she dies so does your son," Lindsey replied, aiming at Cole.

Angel froze."I'll let her walk," he said."Just set down the gun."

"Drop the stake first," Lindsey ordered.

Angel didn't move.

"Looks like a Mexican standoff," Lindsey said after a few seconds had passed."Neither of us trusts the other to keep their word.We can't back down without risking the other taking advantage.You want the boy alive more than you want Darla dust, I just want her.Think about it Angel, you know I draw the line at killing children.I know you want Darla dead, but I won't kill your son unless you make me."

Almost before the stake hit the ground Angel was between Lindsey and Cole.He didn't trust Lindsey's ethical restraint, but he believed that the lawyer would have expected him to take the time to consider his proposal rather than acting.And now Angel was in position to protect Cole.He'd made a mistake earlier in going for Darla, he'd let his priorities be confused, but as long as there was someone he cared about in the equation, he could have only one goal."That was why Darla would win as long as he let his friends get involved," Angel thought.

"Good choice," Lindsey said offering Darla a hand up.

The blond vampiress ignored him, snarling at Angel and looking ready to re-engage him in battle.

"You lost today," Lindsey said softly to her."It's time to go home.I never wanted to involve the boy anyway.Our fight's with Angel, not him."

Darla gazed the lawyer contemptuously."Do you give up an advantage so easily in court?" she asked nastily.

"I don't kill children," Lindsey reiterated, his voice breaking with anger.

"Humans," Darla sneered."You're all so pathetic."

"He saved your life this night," Angel said quietly.

"From you?" Darla asked mockingly."You don't have the will to kill me."

"I've done it before," Angel reminded her coldly.

** **

** **


	9. Cast Fortune to the Wind

Cast Fortune to the Winds

"Dawn!" Cole exclaimed upon spotting the Summers sisters.

Angel and Buffy watched uncomfortably as the younger pair hugged enthusiastically."Well, I guess you found your missing person too," Buffy said.

"It was Darla and Dru," Angel reported."Glory wasn't involved.I'm sorry my problems spilled over on to you.I swear I'll deal with Darla and Wolfram and Hart, they won't bother you again."

"Angel…" Buffy began, fiddling with the hem of her jacket."I'm sorry about earlier.I didn't mean you…"

"Don't.I don't want to talk about it.Tell Anna that Cole is safe and I'll get him back to her shortly.He came all this way… The two of us should talk before anything else," Angel requested.

Buffy shot Cole a slightly resentful glance then sighed."Sure, I'll tell her, but afterwards we need to talk too.Really talk.You know, without the screaming accusations at each other part.Come on Dawn, Mom doesn't know you're safe yet."

They'd talked about the weather.They'd talked about Cole going to school.They'd talked about how Angel Investigations got started.They'd talked about Dru and Darla's kidnapping of Cole and Dawn.Talking wasn't getting any less awkward.

"So… um… what do you like?" Angel asked tentatively.He was trying not to stare at Cole.That the boy was his son was beyond all comprehension.Angel thought he had managed to grasp the concept, but now that Cole was sitting beside him, he felt even more off balance than he had when Anna first told him.

"Dawn," Cole blurted out, then blushed.He hadn't stopped watching Angel since he'd first seen the vampire in the buried church, he could barely keep himself from touching his father just to make sure that Angel was really there and that they were really talking.

Angel smiled at Cole's response, "Maybe her mother will forgive you for being related to me.Anything else you like?"

"I'm figuring it out," Cole said."I mean all my life I had this big destiny and I lived for that.Preparing to be the Power's warrior, everyone around me telling me about my scared duty.It was just all so serious I never really had much time for fun.Then one day all that responsibility was just gone.I didn't know what to do.I mean it was nice, getting to be a kid, having the freedom to figure out just who Cole was, but I didn't know how to start."

"Then I came here and I met Dawn and started doing things with other kids.I'm beginning to work things out now, and it's good...Do you think maybe I could stay with you?I really like your plane of existence.The Sidhe are great and all, but really, really long lived which means not many kids."

"Cole," Angel protested."This is too much too soon, okay?You don't even know me yet.You might not want to stay with me.I don't know the first thing about being a parent.And now isn't a good time, I've already endangered you."

"It's okay," Cole replied."Of course I'll like you, you're my Dad.I'm not a little kid so I don't really need a lot of parenting."Cole chose to ignore Angel's skeptical look."And I've been trained to fight.I can protect myself, don't worry."

Angel reached out and tapped a finger against the manacle still fastened around Cole's leg.The souled vampire had managed to break the chain off but it would take tools and time to deal with that last thing.

"Yeah… well I wasn't prepared," Cole admitted."It won't happen again.My weapon's master would hide me for the other night.I let myself get caught unarmed, how many times has she told me I have to be prepared for anything?They were only vampires and they treated me like a kid!" Cole exclaimed."Sorry about the vampire crack."

Angel laughed softly."Forgiven.You're right about the minions not being too hard to kill… Not that I think you should patrol or get anywhere near one!But Dru and Darla are both full vampires.Even Buffy would be in trouble if she had to fight both at once.You stayed alive and so did Dawn.You did a good job.But if you were with me, you'd be in danger.I don't want you to get hurt."

"So, in other words, no" Cole said looking disappointed.

"Not right now," Angel corrected, wanting more than anything to not let his son down."I have to finish things with Wolfram and Hart.This thing, it put you and Dawn in danger, it's hurting the people I care about.I'll find a way to end it.I'll fix this.Then we could spend some time getting to know each other.And later, if you still wanted to, if Anna thinks it's okay, maybe then you could some stay with me occasionally."

"And when the next bad thing comes along?" Cole asked quietly.

"You get clear of me," Angel said."I won't have you hurt because of me."

"I've just about got it," Giles mumbled, intend on the lock to the manacle around Dawn's leg.

"I still think we should have magiced it," Willow complained."Picking locks is so juvenile delinquent."

"Thank you ever so much for your input Willow," Giles said dryly as the manacle opened.

"Do you think you could do that again?" Cole asked from the doorway, displaying his own unwanted accessory.

Anna rushed to her son, hugging him tightly before pulling back to inspect him for damage.Her lips pursed as she tilted his head back, closely examining both his bruised cheek and the bite on his throat.

"You'll live," She declared shortly."Now what did you think you were doing, Collin Patrick O'Neill.Taking off like that, not telling anyone where you were going, you could have been killed.A person would think you were daft.Couldn't you at least have left a letter?"

"Mom," Cole protested.

Anna sighed."Alright, you wanted to meet your father.I do understand, but it doesn't mean I wasn't scared half out my wits when I realized you were missing."

"Where is Angel?" Gunn asked.

"He had some stuff to take care of," Cole said shifting his weight from one foot to the other."In LA, with Wolfram and Hart."

"He took the car didn't he?"Cordelia exclaimed."Angel just left us here with no transportation, better than a hundred miles…"

Cordelia's tirade trailed off as she noticed the keys dangling from Cole's fingers."He took the train." Cole said.

"Why would he do that?" Cordelia wondered out loud."It would have been quicker to have all gone back together."

"I think it's rather obvious," Wesley said. "Angel didn't wish to discuss his plans with us.He's going after Wolfram and Hart again, he knows perfectly well that we wouldn't approve so he's not going to give us an opportunity to object."

"Angel said we'd talk before he left," Buffy said her eyes flashing with anger.

"Actually you said that," Cole remark."Angel never agreed."

"Cole," Anna said warningly.

"So what next?" Gunn asked.

"We go back to LA," Cordelia snapped."We have a business to run, and if Angel doesn't want to talk to us, that's his loss, we don't need him."

Buffy sat in the empty kitchen.Everyone else had left or gone to bed.She ought to be sleeping herself, it was after four in the morning according to the clock on the microwave.Still sleep wasn't coming easily.

She held her claddagh ring, studying it.Wondering where things were going between herself and Angel, other than to hell in a hand basket.

Despite all their resolves to really get to know each other this time around they hadn't ever gotten to the talking part.They'd been too busy fighting with each other.And despite the curse's new rules they hadn't slept together yet.It just hadn't felt like the right time.

Now there was Anna and Cole.Buffy didn't know how they'd change things.Anna was a part of Angel's past, she knew him in ways Buffy never would.She was part of his life, his non-vampire life.She'd know his friends and family, they had a child.Anna still loved Angel.Buffy could see that.She wasn't so sure how Angel felt about her, but Cole was Angel's child.Buffy had to believe Angel wanted children, how many times had he brought up his inability to have them?Buffy knew she didn't care, so he must to keep making a big deal of it.

And now Angel knew that he and Anna had a child… Who was dating Dawn!"No wonder Cordelia had burst out laughing at that bit of news."Buffy thought."Her boyfriend's son was dating her little sister.How many people could say that?"And she'd thought that there was no way to further complicate her and Angel's relationship.Just the part where he was a vampire and she was the Slayer should have been more than enough even without curses that broke, but oh no, her little sister had to go and fall for his son too.

Buffy jumped at the soft tapping at the door."Spike!" she exclaimed.

Spike blinked a few times and looked around as if to verify where he was."Can I come in?" he asked in a subdued voice.

"I still haven't gotten around to revoking your invite," Buffy replied.

Spike walked in the kitchen slowly, he looked disheveled and his eyes were reddened.

"Hot chocolate?" Buffy offered.

Spike nodded taking a seat at the counter.He watched in silence as Buffy rattled around, looking for the coca and marshmallows.

"I didn't mean to do it," he said as Buffy set two steaming mugs on the counter."I was going to save your sister for you, be the hero.Then you'd of had to like me, and if I bolluxed up Dru's games in the process so much the better.It would of served her right for dumping me.She wasn't supposed to get hurt though, not really hurt.

Buffy sat beside Spike, listening sympathetically.He stared out into the night.

"I got so caught up in it.Trying to keep 'em from hurting Dawn, getting her loose, confronting Dru, her knocking me cold, hunting them through the tunnels.Then you were all right there.You looking petrified, Dawn bleeding and Dru going on about her Angel again… I don't remember where I got the stake.Everything happened so fast, then she was gone.My black Princess, gone forever."

Sometime there was no right thing to say, Buffy remembered.Sometimes everything made the hurt worse.Sometime the only thing a person wanted was the right to grieve.She couldn't regret Dru's death, Spike didn't expect her to, but she could empathize with the pain he felt over his lover's death. 

Buffy sat beside the blond vampire and silently they watched the cocoa go cold.

Angel found the note taped to the steering wheel of his car.

"Liam,

You've friends and family who care what becomes of you.Don't turn your back on us.This war of yours will destroy you even if it leaves you alive.You won't be able to end it and it won't be long before you'll be unable to walk away from it.

I know you.You are not a failure or a disappointment.Some battle can't be won, some people can't be saved, don't let that destroy you.What happened wasn't your fault; it wasn't that Darla was unworthy of salvation.She died, it's unfair and unfortunate, but it happened.Her life was lost, but are you certain that you didn't save her soul?You did your best for her, despite what she'd done to you.You know you reached her, you know she let go of her bitterness.You saved her Angel.What happened afterwards didn't change that; you must believe that.I saw how she died when I touched your mind to show you Cole, remember what she told you while she still had a soul; She told you that the fact you truly cared about her was all she needed from you, she told you'd done enough. 

Darla let go of her anger at the unfairness of the world, isn't it time you did the same?It will only cause more suffering if you cling to it.I know how you have always hated to look at why things hurt and anger you.

Two hundred and forty-seven years ago I left because I couldn't stand to watch as you destroyed yourself by working at failing.Now you set your goals so high that you can't help but fail to achieve them and in failing, die.Can't you see that you're still setting yourself up to fail?

You can and have done real good.You've helped so many people and you'll help more in the future, if you'll only give up this war of destruction.

Please stop hurting yourself, it kills me to watch you.

I love you,

Anna"

"It wasn't him that was setting himself up to fail," Angel though, crumpling the letter in to a ball and tossing it in the trashcan on the sidewalk.

It had taken Doyle's death to atone for turning his back on a person who came to him for help.The Oracles had said if they saved him it would leave his atonement unfulfilled.The price to repay one selfish choice had been Doyle's life.How could Angel, with so many worse crimes to make amends for, ever hope to succeed?

The answer was he couldn't.There was nothing he could give that would ever make up for what he'd done, and he didn't have the strength to keep fighting forever.Not when he lost so many of the battles.

"Hello?" Dawn said uncertainly, she didn't really want to talk to anyone, but something it was almost like she'd been compelled to pick up the phone.

"Dawn!" Cole greeted her.

"Cole?!I thought your Mom was going to take you back Underhill.I didn't think I'd ever see you again!"

"We're moving.Mom got permission to join elfhame Sun-Descending, it's in LA; they still interact with this world.I'll be able to come and go, which means I can visit you and Angel.It'll be great," Cole explained.

"Oh totally," Dawn enthused."Buffy's gonna be majorly unhappy about your mom hanging around Angel, but it'll be great for us.I guess we were just destined to be together huh?"

"By Dana, don't say things like that Dawn!" Cole exclaimed."Are you trying to jinx us?"


End file.
